POOLER, Ga. — (GOLF STAT) The first round of the NAIA Women's Golf National Championship wasn't as nice as the first round last season. Cassidy Scantland, the lone individual in the field from Campbellsville University recorded an 11-over, 83 in her first round. She sits in a tie for 81st place after the second wave of players were pulled off the course due to weather.
Scantland started her first round on the back nine and came out of the gates firing at the pin locations. She found the 11th fairway and stuck her approach shot to about three feet setting up her first and only birdie on the round.
Scantland, a sophomore from Greensburg, Ky., struggled in the final five holes on her front nine. She fell victim to three bogeys on holes 14, 16 and 17 and a double bogey on hole No. 18, going out with a four-over, 40.
The final nine holes were much like the first. Scantland recovered nicely after the double bogey on 18 with another approach shot that was stuck within 10 feet. Her birdie chance just missed and had to settle for par.
The trouble, though, started to come with Savannah Quarters' longer holes and many bunkers that lined the fairways and greens. In the final seven holes, Scantland found the sand on five.
"The bunkers were a major issue today," said CU coach Kim Goodin. "Cassidy had good ball striking until the final few holes and I believe a little mental and physical fatigue started to set in. Spring is gone and summer is here. The last six holes it was really hot."
It all started on the par-five, third hole, as Scantland was unable to get up and down, settling for bogey.
After a par on the par three, fourth hole, Scantland fell victim to another bogey – this time the par five, fifth hole. After hitting the fairway with her drive, Scantland missed her approach shot in the bunker and once again could not get up and down for par.
Scantland found another bunker on the par four, seventh hole, dropping another two shots with a double bogey. And then on the final hole the frustration started to set in, as Scantland triple bogeyed the par four, ninth hole for her 83.
"Cassidy is disappointed," said Goodin. "Anybody that knows her understands she is an overachiever. Golf is a difficult game some days.... it's a love hate relationship. When we are playing well we love it but when we are struggling it's a different game."
The other two individuals in Scantland's pairing, Sarah Gilliard (Costal Georgia) started the round off with a quadruple bogey on her first hole but recovered nicely with three birdies to lead the pairing and finished with a five-over, 77. Kamie Rash (Kansas Wesleyan) finished with one birdie, three bogeys, three doubles and one quadruple bogey for a 12-over, 84.
"We all need to regroup, relax and improve tomorrow to put ourselves in a chance to make the cut," said Goodin.
The first round will be completed at 7:15 a.m. ET and the second round will start at approximately 9:30 a.m. ET. Scantland's pairing was scheduled to tee off at 3:30 p.m. ET on hole No.1 but may be pushed back. For live stats throughout the round - STATS | LIVE TWEETS
