Stephenson, Holder hold clubhouse lead in suspended Dixie Women's Amateur opening round
Lauren Stephenson
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. — Struggling course conditions at Heron Bay Golf Club due to rain leading up to the event, as well as winter darkness, caused Wednesday's first round to be suspended at the Dixie Women's Amateur.
The weather hasn't been cooperating in South Florida lately with over eight inches of rain falling in the week leading up to Wednesday's first round. The course saw sunshine on Wednesday, and more is predicted for Thursday before a chance of precipitation returns to the forecast by Friday.
Most of the field were able to complete their first round of the 72-hole tournament, with Clemson freshman Lauren Stephenson and University of Central Florida junior Ashley Holder coming in with 5-under par 67s to lead by one before heading to TPC Eagle Trace for round two.
Stephenson, a first-year player for the Tigers from Lexington, S.C., birdied her final three holes of the day, 16-18, to shoot up the leaderboard. Holder, from Orlando, Fla., made zero bogeys in her opening round and circled the scores on three of her last six holes.
Four players are tied for third place at 68, including Roos Haarman, Samantha Marks, Maria Fassi, and Katelyn Dambaugh.
Round one will conclude Thursday morning for those who have not finished.
ABOUT THE Dixie Women's Amateur
72-hole stroke invitational women's stroke play
championship. Field consists of
former Dixie
Amateur
Champions, and women from around the world
invited by the
Tournament Committee. (You may request an
invitation at
www.dixieamateur.com).
Tournament takes on extra
importance as one of the last major
international
amateur
events to be played
before the Augusta National Women's Amateur
(ANWA) determines their
ranking-based exemption list. The field limit will
be
108
players. Field
is cut after 54 holes to
the low 66 players and ties.
View Complete Tournament Information