Finn, Ruiz share Dixie Women's Am lead at halfway point
Michaela Finn (Kent State Athletics photo)
TAMARAC, Fla. (Dec. 19, 2018) – Two new players took the lead Wednesday in the second round of the Dixie Women’s Amateur. Kent State senior Michaela Finn fired the round of the day at the Woodlands Country Club, a 5-under 67 that left her tied for the lead with Canadian Michelle Ruiz.
Finn, who finished in the top 10 in all four collegiate starts this fall, opened with a pedestrian 2-over 74 on Tuesday, but on Wednesday she came back with three birdies, no bogeys and an eagle at the par-4 ninth.
Ruiz, meanwhile, started hot with three birdies over her first nine holes, but two bogeys in her final five brought her back down to 70 and she settled for a share of the lead.
Alexa Pano, the U.S. Junior Ryder Cupper and U.S. Girls’ Junior runner-up, lost a spot on the leaderboard even though she remains only a shot back. Pano moved from second to third, but with rounds of 69-73, is still 2 under and certainly within striking distance.
Clemson freshman Alexandra Swayne is tied for fourth with Meiyi Yan. Both are 1 under.
Celeste Dao, the Georgia commit, is part of a four-way tie for sixth that also includes first-round leader Kelly Whaley. Whaley followed an opening 68 with a second-round 76.
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.
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