February 26, 2013

Hodge leads Eagles at Lady Cougar Collegiate Classic

COLUMBUS, Ga – Carson-Newman’s women’s golf team finished a weather-shortened Lady Cougar Collegiate Classic Tuesday at the Country Club of Columbus. The 36-hole event was shortened to a single round following hard rain Monday that left the course somewhat damaged from the weather.

COLUMBUS, Ga – Carson-Newman's women's golf team finished a weather-shortened Lady Cougar Collegiate Classic Tuesday at the Country Club of Columbus. The 36-hole event was shortened to a single round following hard rain Monday that left the course somewhat damaged from the weather.

Junior Lauren Hodge (Jefferson City, Tenn.) played individually, but had the best round of any Eagle. She finished tied for 11th place with a score of 81 (+9), just three strokes off the top three.

"I am proud of Lauren and the way she played," Carson-Newman head women's golf coach Amanda Moore said, "She had a solid round and that should boost her confidence for tournaments later in the season."

However, Moore was disappointed not only with the weather, but her teams overall performance.

"The course conditions were tough but I'm a little disappointed at how our team played this week," Moore said, "It was unfortunate that we only got to play one round because of the weather."

The Eagles ended up in 10th place with a combined team score of 348 (+60).

Sophomores Mary Tunnell (Cordova, Tenn.) and Chelsea Passmore (Knoxville, Tenn.) both tied for 24^th, finishing the day with identical scores of 85 (+13).

Freshman Meredith Hawkins (Powell, Tenn.) and sophomore Danielle Baiunco (Melbourne, Fla.) shot 89s (+17) placing both golfers in a tie for 43rd. Freshman Kelli Pemberton (Knoxville, Tenn.) finished tied for 49th after shooting a 94 (+22).

Moore said this tournament was difficult both in its setting and circumstances, but she said she is prepared to work with her team to get ready for the rest of their season.

"We will have to go back to the drawing board and get ready for our next tournament," Moore said.

The Eagles will play again March 3 at the Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational in Orlando, Fla.

-CN-