ORLANDO, Fla. – With hardly any wind and warm temperatures at the Eagle Creek Golf Club, the Penn State women's golf team opened its spring season with a 2-under round of 286 on Sunday morning and sit in a tie for eighth in the 15-team field after the first round of the UCF Challenge.
The College of Charleston is the current tournament leader at 9-under (279) with Miami just one stroke back at 8-under (280). Kent State (7-under), Kennesaw State (6-under) and Vanderbilt (5-under) round out the top-5 with host UCF sitting in sixth at 4-under while fellow Big Ten school Michigan State (3-under) sits just one stroke ahead of PSU and Purdue.
The Nittany Lions were led by senior Jackie Rogowicz (Yardley, Pa.) who shot a 3-under, 69 and currently sits tied for eighth just one shot off the lead held by seven different individuals. Rogowicz carded four birdies with a lone bogey at the 18th to account for just her second sub-70 round this season.
"I drove it really well today and made some good putts for birdie," mentioned Rogowicz. "I thought the course was very scoreable, not many tough pins and barely any wind."
Senior Cara Basso (Downingtown, Pa.) and junior Megan McLean (Lebanon, N.J.) each opened the tournament with even-par rounds of 72 while freshman Sarah Willis (Eaton, Ohio) and senior Lauren Waller (Canonsburg, Pa.) rounded out the team score with a 1-over 73 and a 2-over 74, respectively.
Playing as an individuals, junior Maddy Herr (New Hope, Pa.) carded her best round of the season with a 1-under, 71 and currently sits in a tie for 24th while senior Kamerine Taylor (Dublin, Ohio) finished the day with a 5-over round of 77.
As a team Penn State registered 16 birdies to goa long with one eagle by Basso.
The Nittany Lions tee off in the second round on Monday morning with an 8:45 a.m. shotgun start.