CHARLOTTE, NC – After a less than stellar performance on the swampy course at Marsh Landing Golf Club last week, the Stetson women's golf team is hoping for better conditions, and better scoring, when they open play on Monday at the Pinehurst Challenge.
Pinehurst, North Carolina, is known as the Cradle of American Golf and the event will be played on the original course, which welcomed play for the first time in 1898. After the course was first constructed, it was legendary course designer Donald Ross who applied the crowning touches to the course.
It is a short track, covering just 5,949 yards last year for a par of 72, but requires precision shot-making due to narrow fairways that are lined with pine trees and a host of challenging bunkers.
East Carolina returns as the defending tournament champions. The Pirates won the event last year with a seven-under par score of 857. ECU is one of 11 teams returning to the event this year, along with eight teams that did not play last year. Among the returning teams is the University of Maryland, while Auburn University is one of the other new teams in the field.
In addition to those top teams, the Hatters will also see ASUN foes North Florida and Kennesaw State in the event. Others in the tournament field include the hosts from College of Charleston along with Charleston Southern, Old Dominion, Wichita State, Morehead State, Elon, Georgia State, High Point, Samford, James Madison, William & Mary, UNC Greensboro and Jacksonville State.
Stetson will have seniors
Giulia Vandenberg and
Kristine Odaiyar in the event along with juniors
Carolin Schart,
Paige Kemp and
Eilidh Watson.
Hatters coach
Floyd Kerr packed his squad up and hit the road early on Thursday. They travelled to Charlotte where they had access to practice rounds at a local country club on Friday and Saturday before making the short drive to Pinehurst for the tournament practice round on Sunday.
The Pinehurst Challenge will feature 36 holes of golf on Monday with a finale 18 holes on Tuesday. Play on Monday is scheduled to begin with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.
Live scoring is expected to be available throughout the event via GolfStat.com.
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.
