University of North Carolina Athletics
Women's Golf In First Place At The Derby Invitational
October 28, 2006 | Women's Golf
Oct. 28, 2006
AUBURN, Ala. - After the first day of play was canceled due to weather, The Derby Invitational finally got underway Saturday as the University of North Carolina women's golf team shot a field-best 301 to put them atop the leader board heading into Sunday's final round. Host Auburn sits two strokes behind the Tar Heels in second, while LSU is four back in third. Baylor and Alabama round out the top five.
Leading the way for Carolina is Sydney Crane who fired a 74 to put her in second place and two strokes behind leader Margaret Shirley of Auburn. Crane finished her day with four bogeys and two birdies on holes four and seven. Alongside Crane in second is Marisa Milligan of Auburn, giving Auburn two of the top three finishers from Saturday.
After Crane and Milligan shot a 74, eight golfers carded a 75 for fourth place, of which are two Tar Heels- Lauren Hunt and Katie Miller. Hunt recorded one birdie on the day, while Miller notched three. Out of the top 11 scores from Saturday, North Carolina owns three of them- more than any other school. Ann Laney and Kate Thomas also represented Carolina, each posting a 77.
With Friday's round canceled due to rain, The Derby Invitational will only be a 36-hole tournament this year as the final round will be on Sunday with a 9:45 a.m. ET shotgun start. This year's tournament is being played at the Auburn University Club which features a par 72, 6,310 yard layout. The Derby Invitational is the last tournament for Carolina this fall season.
| TEAM STANDINGS (18 HOLES) | ||
| 1. North Carolina | 301 | +13 |
| 2. Auburn | 303 | +15 |
| 3. LSU | 305 | +17 |
| 4. Baylor | 306 | +18 |
| 5. Alabama | 308 | +20 |
| 6. Mississippi | 309 | +21 |
| Tennessee | 309 | +21 |
| Florida State | 309 | +21 |
| 9. Nebraska | 310 | +22 |
| 10. Furman | 311 | +23 |
| South Carolina | 311 | +23 |
| 12. Florida | 313 | +25 |
| 13. Birmingham-Southern | 315 | +27 |
| 14. Mississippi | 320 | +32 |
| 15. Central Florida | 322 | +34 |
| 16. Kansas | 327 | +39 |
| 17. Texas | 334 | +46 |
| TOP INDIVIDUALS (18 HOLES) | ||
| 1. Margaret Shirley (Auburn) | 72 | E |
| 2. Sydney Crane (North Carolina) | 74 | +2 |
| Marisa Milligan (Auburn) | 74 | +2 |
| 4. Jaclyn Burch (Florida State) | 75 | +3 |
| Diana Cantu (Tennessee) | 75 | +3 |
| Dori Carter (Mississippi) | 75 | +3 |
| Lauren Hunt (North Carolina) | 75 | +3 |
| Chrissie McArdie (Nebraska) | 75 | +3 |
| Katie Miller (North Carolina) | 75 | +3 |
| Jenna Pearson (South Carolina) | 75 | +3 |
| Alexis Rather (LSU) | 75 | +3 |
| CAROLINA'S INDIVIDUALS (18 HOLES) | ||
| T2. Sydney Crane | 74 | +2 |
| T4. Lauren Hunt | 75 | +3 |
| T4. Katie Miller | 75 | +3 |
| T22. Ann Laney | 77 | +5 |
| T22. Kate Thomas | 77 | +5 |
![Images from the first round of the 2026 Gators Invitational on Friday, March 6, 2026 at Mark Bostick Golf Course at the University of Florida in Gainesville, FL. [Photo by Matt Pendleton Photography for North Carolina Tar Heels Athletics]](https://images.sidearmdev.com/resize?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdxbhsrqyrr690.cloudfront.net%2Fsidearm.nextgen.sites%2Func.sidearmsports.com%2Fimages%2F2026%2F3%2F7%2F260306-NCAAWGOLF-UNC-GatorsInvitational-0828-MattPendleton_copy.jpg&height=340&type=webp)
Players Mentioned
