Middle Tennesee State University Athletics
Middle Tennessee
Conference USA Championships
Blue Raiders in ninth after first round of C-USA Championship
4/18/2022 1:52:00 PM | Women's Golf
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. – Middle Tennessee women's golf is in ninth place after one round in the Conference USA Championship, finishing Monday's action with a score of 317 (+29). Molly Bebelaar led the way in the first round with a score of 76 (+4), ending the day in a tie for 10th.
On an overcast day with temperatures reaching the mid-80s, Florida Atlantic ended the round in the lead at 303 (+15). The average score for the first round was 79.9.
"It was a tough day out there, pretty much for everyone," head coach Chris Adams said. "Molly had a really good round going and had a couple bad swings on hole 11 that cost her four shots, but she managed 2-over on her final 7 holes - the hardest part of the course - to salvage a good score. If we just try and manage the course better over the next couple of days and minimize the big numbers, we still have a shot at moving up."
Bebelaar started strong, birdieing two of her first three holes and three of her first six. Her three birdies led the Blue Raiders and tied for sixth-most among all players.
Sophie Burks and Caroline Caudill tied for 29th at 80 (+8). Burks recorded two birdies on the day, while Caudill carded one.
Catherine Caudill ended the round in a tie for 36th at 81 (+9). Madison Smith carded an 88 (+16) to tie for 57th.
The back nine was unkind to Middle Tennessee on Monday. Teeing off on hole 1, the Blue Raider lineup combined to go 18-over on the front nine with five of its seven birdies on the day coming in the first half of the round. The back nine saw MT shoot 31-over and slip from a tie for seventh to ninth place.
Six of the seven toughest holes in the first round were back-nine holes, led by the par-4 11th, which saw an average score of 4.97 – nearly a stroke above par – with no birdies. MT was a combined 12-over on hole 11.
"This golf course is very challenging and demands lots of attention so we are going to be ready to go tomorrow with a good mindset to play smart golf," Adams said.
The second round begins Tuesday with tee times on holes 1 and 10 between 6:50 and 9:20 a.m. CT.
Players Mentioned
