MSU Women’s Golf Holds Nine Stroke Lead at Old Waverly

WEST POINT, Miss. (WCBI/MSU Athletics) – After racing to the top of the leader board in the opening round, the Mississippi State women’s golf team pushed its lead to 10 strokes following second-round play Tuesday at the Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational.

(HailState.com)
Fulton native Ally McDonald is in second overall with her teammate, Jessica Peng, leading the way.

Ginger Brown-Lemm’s squad fired an even par 288 at Old Waverly Golf Club behind freshman Jessica Peng’s 2-under-par 70 that put her atop the individual leaderboard.

“Our team showed so much maturity today,” fourth-year head coach Brown-Lemm said. “We enter the final round in a good place, but in team golf anything can happen. We need to go out and play our game one shot at a time.”

Peng finished the opening 36 holes at 5-under-par 139, the second-lowest tally in school history and the best by a freshman, helping MSU to a 7-under-par 589 heading into Wednesday’s final round.

After playing the front nine at 1-under-par, the Shenzhen, China native rebounded from a double bogey on No. 11, the toughest hole on the course, to shoot birdies on 13, the second-toughest hole, 15 and 16.

Teammate Ally McDonald shot a 1-over-par 73 to finish Tuesday’s second round one shot back of the top spot. McDonald put together a strong finish to her round, shooting 2-under the last four holes to sit at 4-under 140 for the tournament.

Three birdies on the front nine and two more down the stretch propelled Ji Eun Baik to a 1-under-par 71 and a tie for seventh at even-par 144 overall. The freshman opened with birdies at the second and fourth holes, and after a double bogey on the fifth, she answered with a birdie on No. 9. She dropped a pair of shots on Nos. 11 and 12, but showed her resiliency by making birdie on Nos. 15 and 16.

Senior Mary Langdon Gallagher used birdies at six and seven and another on the 15^th to finish Tuesday with a 2-over 74 that put her tied for eighth at 2-over 146. Rica Tse rounded out the lineup at with a second-round 74 that put her in 13^th position with a 147 (+3).

Blaise Carabello paced the Mississippi State individuals with a second-straight 74 that put her tied for 17^th with a 4-over 148. Logan Chaney and Izel Pieters each made impressive improvements in the second round to end Tuesday tied for 38^th with 156 tallies. Gabi Oubre` rounded out the MSU individuals in 49^th place with a two-round 160.

The third round will be a shotgun round beginning at 8:30 a.m. CST with MSU paired with East Carolina and Florida International.

Admission to the event is free, and MSU students can earn Hail State Reward points for attending each round.

Live stats and post-round results will be available through Hailstate.com.

Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational
Second Round – October 1, 2013
TEAM RESULTS
1. Mississippi State (281-288=569, -7); 2. East Carolina (289-290=579, +2); T3. Florida International (294-297=591, +15); T3. Georgia State (293-298=591, +15); 5. East Tennessee St. (300-294=594, +18); 6. South Alabama (297-305=602, +26); 7. Memphis (313-300=613, +37); 8. Cincinnati (310-307=617, +41); 9. South Florida (310-308=618, +42); 10. Murray State (307-313=620, +44); 11. Southern Miss (326-319=645, +69)

MSU INDIVIDUAL RESULTS
1.               Jessica Peng                             69-70=139, -5
2.               Ally McDonald                            67-73=140, -4
T7.             Ji Eun Baik                                 73-71=144, E
T10.           Mary Langdon Gallagher           72-74=146, +2
T13.           Rica Tse                                     73-74=147, +3
T17.           Blaise Carabello                         74-74=148, +4*
T38.           Logan Chaney                            80-76=156, +12*
T38.           Izel Pieters                                  82-74=156, +12*
49.            Gabi Oubre’                                 81-79=160, +16*
*Competed as individuals