Clemson Second after First Round at Yale

Clemson, S.C.—Freshman Lauren Stephenson fired a career best 68 on Friday to lead Clemson to a 293 team score and a second-place standing out of 16 teams at the Yale Women’s Intercollegiate in New Haven, Conn.    Clemson trails first place Furman by just three shots after the first round of the 54-hole event at the par 71  Course at Yale.

Stephenson’s round included a season best seven birdies.  She did have one double bogey, or she would have challenged the Clemson record of 65 held by classmate Alice Hewson at the Cougar Classic last month.  After making the double bogey on the 14^th hole, the freshman from Lexington made birdies on four of her last five holes to finish with a three-under par round.  She started on the second hole in the shotgun formatted event.

Stephenson is tied for first place after the first round with Cinda Ha of Vanderbilt.  Furman has the team lead at 290, six-over-par, and Clemson is second at nine-over-par 293.    Michigan is third at 10-over-par 294 and Vanderbilt is fourth at 296.

Junior Sloan Shanahan had a strong round with a one-over-par 72.  She stands in seventh place in the 86-player field after 18 holes.  It tied for Shanahan’s low round so far this year.

Hewson, who is playing as Clemson’s No. 1 player this week after winning each of her first two events, shot a four-over-par 75 on Friday and is in 16^th place.   Lauren Salazar was Clemson’s fourth best player with a seven-over-par 78 and ranks in 41^st place..  Jessica Hoang shot a 79 and is in 48^th position after 18 holes.

Marisa Messana is playing this tournament as an individual and shot a 77, good enough for 30^th place.