Messana 50th after First Round of US Amateur

CLEMSON, S.C.—Clemson sophomore Marisa Messana fired an impressive opening round 74 Monday at the United States Women’s Amateur Championship at Portland Golf Club in Portland, Ore. She stands in a tie for 50^th place after the first round out of the 156 golfers in the field. The top 64 players after Tuesday’s second round of stroke play will advance to the match play championship.

Messana is the first Clemson women’s golfer to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Amateur. The program just completed its second season of varsity competition last April.

Messana’s opening round two over par score included four bogeys and two birdies. The native of Plantation, Fla. opened with three bogeys, but she did not let that bother her. The Academic All-ACC choice came back with two pars, then made back to back birdies on the par four sixth and seventh holes to get back to one-under par.

Messana made the turn at one over par 36, then made a bogey on the 13^th hole, a par four that is 377 yards in length. But, her other eight holes on the back nine were all pars.

Messana had a 76.33 average last year for the Tigers, but she was Clemson’s top golfer the second half of the season when she finished first or second among Tiger golfers in all five spring events, including a team best 219 score and No. 21 finish at the ACC Tournament at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro.