AUBURN, Ala. – Alice Hewson fired a three-over par 75 on Monday to lead Clemson at the NCAA Regional Women’s Golf Tournament in Auburn, Alabama. Clemson is 14th as a team among the 18 teams in the field. The top six teams after 54 holes will advance to the NCAA Championship Tournament in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
The Tigers were at three-over par as a team through the first nine holes and stood in seventh place with freshman Ivy Shepherd in a tie for the individual lead at two-under. But, Kelley Hester’s team played the back nine at 21-over, including nine-over on hole 11.
Clemson stands at 307 after one round, 13 shots off the cutline. Tennessee and Maryland are tied for fifth after 18 holes at 294. Sixth-ranked Vanderbilt is in first place at 287, while third-ranked Duke is second at 290. Florida State and East Carolina are tied third at 291.
Hewson, named All-ACC last week, had just one birdie and three bogeys on Monday.
Freshmen Gracyn Burgess and Alexandra Swayne both shot a five-over par 77. Between the two of them they finished their first round at the NCAA Tournament with three birdies, Burgess with one on 17 while Swayne birdied 10 and 12.
Shepherd played holes 9-12 at nine-over par, and finished the round with a six-over par 78. The Peachtree City, Ga. native lead the team in birdies during the first round with four. Junior Ana Paula Valdes finished the first round with an eight-over par 80.
Clemson will start play on Tuesday on the 10th hole at 9 a.m. Hewson will start at 9:40 and will be Clemson’s last player to begin the second round.
