The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
PING ASU Invitational
Stephens fires 1-under 70 in opening round of PING/ASU Invitational to pace Women's Golf
03.30.2012 | Women's Golf
March 30, 2012
TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Texas Women's Golf team combined for 11 birdies over its final seven holes to make a late afternoon surge on the team leaderboard at the PING/ASU Invitational. Junior Haley Stephens made four straight subpars on holes 12 through 15 at Karsten Golf Course to tie for ninth place with a 1-under-par 70 while senior Nicole Vandermade birdied four of her final six holes to finish tied for 22nd place at +1. As a team, the Longhorns (289, +5) are tied for seventh place in the 17-team field.
Playing in the fifth position for Texas, Stephens played her first six holes at even-par before the par-3 seventh hole tripped up her blemish-free scorecard with a bogey. She rediscovered her consistency over the next four holes before her putter caught fire and she rolled in a quartet of birdies. Stephens made pars on 16 and 17 before a double bogey on 18 cost her two strokes.
After three-straight bogeys on nine, 10 and 11, Vandermade was 5-over with seven holes remaining. She birdied 13, 14, 15 and 17 to finish the day at 72.
Freshman Bertine Strauss matched Vandermade's opening round with three bogeys and two birdies - including a bird on her final hole - and is also tied for 22nd place.
Juniors Desiree Dubreuil and Madison Pressel are tied for 52nd place with 4-over 75s.
Host Arizona State holds the first-round lead at 4-under 280. UCLA and Stanford trail by four strokes and are tied for second place.
The Longhorns return to action Saturday morning at 10 a.m. Central and will play alongside UC Davis and TCU.
First-round team standings
1. Arizona State - 280 (-4)
T2. UCLA - 284 (E)
T2. Stanford - 284 (E)
4. UC Davis - 286 (+2)
T5. UNLV - 287 (+3)
T5. Texas A&M - 287 (+3)
T7. TEXAS - 289 (+5)
T7. Southern Cal - 289 (+5)
9. Arizona - 291 (+7)
10. TCU - 292 (+8)
11. LSU - 294 (+10)
12. Vanderbilt - 295 (+11)
13. Oklahoma State - 296 (+12)
14. Washington - 298 (+14)
T15. San Diego State - 302 (+18)
T15. New Mexico - 302 (+18)
17. Oregon State - 306 (+22)
First-round player standings (Top 12)
T1. Justine Lee, Arizona State - 67 (-4)
T1. Bethany Calvo, UNLV - 67 (-4)
T3. Manon Gidali, Arizona - 68 (-3)
T3. Tiffany Lua, UCLA - 68 (-3)
T3. Marissa Mar, Stanford - 68 (-3)
T3. Sally Watson, Stanford - 68 (-3)
T7. Laura Blanco, Arizona State - 69 (-2)
T7. Sadena Parks, Washington - 69 (-2)
T9. Haley Stephens (5), TEXAS - 70 (-1)
T9. Three additional players at 1-under 70
Texas players (player order)
T22. Bertine Strauss (3) - 72 (+1)
T22. Nicole Vandermade (4) - 72 (+1)
T52. Desiree Dubreuil (1) - 75 (+4)
T52. Madison Pressel (2) - 75 (+4)
