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University of North Carolina Athletics
UNC Men's Golf Tied For First in Franklin Street Partners Invitational
October 3, 2003 | Men's Golf
Oct. 3, 2003
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The University of North Carolina men's golf team carded an even par 288 in the first round of the Franklin Street Partners Men's Invitational Friday afternoon. Carolina and Georgia Southern, who also shot 288, lead a field of nine teams.
UNC Head Coach John Inman was pleased with Friday's even par, but he would like to see a couple more scores below par the next two rounds.
"To win a tournament, you really have to have four good scores," said Inman. "We were really close today."
The UNC women's golf team shot a first-round 13-over 301 for a fourth place tie in the Franklin Street Partners Women's Invitational. Carolina trails first-place Duke, the only team with a below-par score at nine-under 279.
Carolina Head Coach Sally Austin emphasized her team's "never quit" attitude.
"I'm a little disappointed with the way we started on our front nine (holes 10-18), which is the harder side," said Austin. "But I'm really proud of the way the team played on our back nine. They came back and fought." In the men's individual race, Tar Heel sophomore Ted Smith shot a six-under 66 for second place.
"I made two really big puts on one and two for par, and that got me going," said Smith. "I'll try to stick to my routine and try not to force anything on Saturday. I want to position myself well for the last day."
Smith is one shot behind Georgia Southern's Toshi Hirata who shot a 65. John Holmes of Kentucky is in third place at four-under 68. Carolina senior Dustin Bray, Alabama's Max Alverio and Kentucky's Mark Blakefield all shot a two-under 70 for a fourth-place tie.
On the women's side, Carolina seniors Meaghan Francella and Ashley Prange shot one-over 73s for a ninth place tie with four other players. Duke's Elizabeth Janangelo leads the field by four strokes after shooting a six-under 66.
Aimee Cho and Tarah McNaughton of Florida and Leigh Anne Hardin of Duke are tied for second place with two-under 70s. Duke's Virada Nirapathpongporn is the last player under par at one-under in fifth place.
Other Tar Heel scores for the men are: freshman Will Dottley shot a 72 and is tied for ninth, sophomore Kevin Silva shot an 80 and is tied for 41st and sophomore Fernando Figueroa shot an 84 and is in 44th place.
Other scores for Carolina's women's team are: freshman Katie Miller who shot a 76 and is tied for 18th, freshman Shannon Boyle who shot a 79 and is tied for 33rd and sophomore Romi Irons who shot an 82 and is tied for 39th.
Patience and putting are keys for the men's and women's teams respectively. "Guys are used to shooting par and if they get a few over, they tend to press a little too much," said Inman. "They just need to stay patient and know that the birdies are out there."
"We need to play a little bit smarter and our short game needs to be a little better," said Austin. "I think with that, we will hit better shots all around. The better your short game is, the more it frees you up to hit those kind of shots."
The Franklin Street Partners Invitational is split into a men's and women's championship with all 18 teams simultaneously playing the same course. The tournament is being played at North Carolina's Finley Golf Course, a par-72, 6,285-yard course for the ladies and a par-72, 7,199-yard course for the men.
The men's teams began Friday morning on the first hole while the women's teams started on the 10th hole. Saturday's second round will start at 9:30 a.m. with the men starting on the 10th hole and the women on the first.
Sunday will be a shotgun start at 9:15 a.m. The tournament is open to the public and there is no admission fee.
Players Mentioned
