WCU Women’s Golf Leads After First Round at 2019 Judaculla Cup
Four Catamounts tied for event runner-up spot at 1-over par
Waynesville, N.C. – Four Catamounts including three among the team’s scoring five sit in a four-way tie for the runner-up spot after 18 of the scheduled 36 holes at the season-opening 2019 Judaculla Cup. Western Carolina leads mountain-rival Appalachian State by two strokes entering Tuesday’s final round at the par-72, 5,932-yard Waynesville Inn Golf Resort.
Appalachian State sophomore Abby Bolt leads the individual field by three strokes over the four-way tie for second-place after carding a 2-under par round of 70 on Monday. She is trailed by WCU junior Maya White, sophomore transfer Madison Isaacson, and freshman Bailee Twiford – each in the scoring five – and individual competitor Harper Gilreath, who was among the first grouping to complete play on the first day. The Catamount foursome each shot 1-over par, 73, on Monday.
WCU leads App State by two strokes with The Citadel (322) sitting third in the small, three-team event.
Tuesday’s final round is set for tee times off the front nine – the Carolina Course – beginning at 8:30 am.
A transfer from UNC Wilmington, Isaacson posted a first-round high five birdies to accompany eight pars over the opening 18 holes for the 1-over round. Twiford and White were both consistent with 13 pars apiece as a part of their rounds of 73.
Catamount junior Hazel Martin sits in a three-way sixth-place tie after shooting 2-over, 74. The Brisbane, Australia native was cruising through the back nine even-par with a birdie on No. 12 to counter one bogey before carding a double-bogey on the par-5 18th on the Blue Ridge course. Freshman Victoria Ladd is the fifth WCU golfer on the team side, entering the final round tied for 11th at 5-over par, 77.
Monday’s first round saw a pair of eagles carded on the short par-5, 478-yard sixth – both were recorded by Catamount individuals as Gilreath and individual Cassidy Chambers posted a three on the longest layout. All told, Gilreath led four Catamount singles with the 1-over round that featured a 3-under mark on the par-5 holes, while lone senior Brianna Plummer carded four birdies to rank second in the field behind Isaacson.
Rounding out WCU’s individual competitors are sophomore Cassidy Chambers in 10th at 4-over, 76, and junior Cameron Wood in a tie for 18th after shooting 83.
Though there will not be live scoring of Tuesday’s final round, fans can keep up with the on-goings in Waynesville using WCU’s social media outlets including Twitter using the handles @catamounts or @WCU_womensgolf. A complete recap and event statistics will be made available online at CatamountSports.com at the conclusion of the two-round tournament.
Team Standings:
1 – Western Carolina – 293 (+5)
2 – Appalachian State – 295 (+7)
3 – The Citadel – 322 (+34)
Western Carolina:
T2 – Madison Isaacson – 73 (+1)
T2 – Bailee Twiford – 73 (+1)
T2 – Maya White – 73 (+1)
T6 – Hazel Martin – 74 (+2)
T11 – Victoria Ladd – 77 (+5)
T2 – Harper Gilreath * – 73 (+1)
9 – Brianna Plummer * – 75 (+3)
10 – Cassidy Chambers * – 76 (+4)
T18 – Cameron Wood * – 83 (+11)
* individual competitor