University of North Carolina Athletics
North Carolina
Mercedes-Benz Collegiate
Carolina In Eighth At Mercedes-Benz Collegiate
September 13, 2016 | Women's Golf
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of North Carolina women's golf team kicked off the 2016 Fall season with a decent start to the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate on Monday. The Tar Heels posted rounds of 296 and 284 to finish 12-over and in eighth place heading into the final round.
“There were some nerves in the first round and we did not take advantage of the birdie holes,” head coach Jan Mann said of the first round. “The second round was much more relaxed and finished with 24 birdies. We're looking forward to teeing it up tomorrow.”
The Tar Heels landed in 11th after the first round of 296. Kelly Whaley posted a 1-over par 72 in the opening round to lead the team. Freshman Marian Ocano finished at 3-over par 74. Junior Lexi Harkins and freshman Brynn Walker posted 75s in the opening round while sophomore Killian Casson shot a 77.
Carolina rebounded quickly in the afternoon tying for the second best round out of the 15-team field. The Tar Heels were led, this time, by Harkins in the second round. Harkins posted a 2-under par 69 with three birdies and one bogey. She jumped 26 spots into a tie for 19th at 2-over par. Whaley, from Farmington, Conn., posted an even par 71 with two birdies and two bogeys. She's closing in on a top-10 finish sitting tied for 10th. Walker, like Harkins, had a significant jump in the individual positions. She jumped 17 spots into a tie for 28th with an even par second round. She's at 4-over par for the tournament. Ocano is tied for 35th at 5-over par after her second round 73. Casson is in a tie for 60th at 10-over par.
Junior Bryana Nguyen is competing as an individual and is tied for 48th at 7-over par. Nguyen shot 72-77 in the two rounds on Monday.
Illinois leads the team competition at 5-under par. Kent State is in second at 1-over and Florida is just a stroke behind at 2-over for third place. Maryland is fourth at 7-over par and tied for fifth are BYU and host Tennessee at 8-over par.
The Mercedes-Benz Collegiate will be played at the Cherokee Country Club, which features a par-71, 5,897-yard layout. Live stats will be provided on Golfstat.com.
QUICK HIT
Carolina's run to the NCAA Championships in 2016 came from a starting lineup that never changed from the first tournament of the fall season. Yet, in the first tournament of the 2016 year, Carolina's starting lineup has three new faces in Mariana Ocano, Brynn Walker and Killian Casson even though the team returned four of the five NCAA Championship participants.
The experience the freshmen and Casson are getting in playing tournaments early could pay dividends for the Tar Heels as they look to get back to the NCAA Championships for the second year in a row. The depth of the 2016-17 team was certainly on display today with both freshmen posting two rounds of 75 or better, including an even par performance from Walker in the second round.
Players Mentioned
