February 19, 2024
Cobras 13th after Day One in Hilton Head
HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC -- Senior Mack Taylor Bailey fired a 7-over par 79 on Monday to help the Coker women's golf team to 13th place after day one of the Battle at Hilton Head.
Playing against 17 other schools, the Cobras shot 41-over 329 on a windy, cold day at the 5,906-yard Robert Trent Jones layout at Palmetto Dunes. Besides Bailey, who had two birdies and needed just 27 putts, the Cobras had a nice round from junior Kelly Campman, who was a mere 1-over through 10 holes before coming it at 81. She had two birdies as well.
As a team, the Cobras were excellent off the tee, hitting 58-of-70 fairways, but hit just 39 of 90 greens and were 16-of-41 with their up-and-down opportunities. Coker rated third in par-5 scoring at just 5-over as a team.
Coker also counted an 83 from sophomore Daniella Gyoni while freshman Gisele Morna and junior Haylie George each fired 86. Playing in her first collegiate tournament as an individual, Swedish freshman Felicia Sundgren carded a 92.
"We just struggled with our approach shots in the wind and had 12 3-putts, which never helps," Coker head coach John Hackney said. "We had too many big holes (two quads and one triple, along with eight double bogeys) and not enough birdies (six).
"I was proud of Mack for holding steady after a quadruple bogey on his second hole and Kelly really had in rolling for the first half of her round. We work a lot in practice on our short games, so hopefully that will translate to lower scores tomorrow."
Nationally ranked Wingate leads the event by 10 strokes at 13-over par 301. Oklahoma Christian is second at 23-over. Charlotte Colley of Lenoir-Rhyne was the only player in the field of 96 to break par. She had three birdies and shot 1-under.
"We have the talent to move way up in the standings in the final round on Tuesday," Hackney said. "We are only 13 shots out of fifth place, which is nothing on a course like this that has so many tough holes."