Charlotte Heath (courtesy of Florida State Athletics)
In a field that features nine of the top-25 women's teams in the nation, including five top-10 squads, it was the 26th-ranked Florida State Seminoles who had the best of it on Sunday in the first round of the Moon Invitational being held at the Suntree Country Club (Classic Course) in Melbourne, Fla.
The Seminoles carded a 2-under round of 286 to lead a stacked field after the first day at Suntree. Virginia, ranked 10th by Golfweek/Sagarin, was the only other team that managed to break par on Sunday, finishing at 1-under 287.
Ninth-ranked Florida, coming off a win at the FAU Paradise Invitational, is tied for third place with Louisville at 3-over 291 while No. 20 LSU and Central Florida round out the top-five at 4-over 292. Third-ranked South Carolina is nine back at 7-over 295, followed by No. 4 Arkansas (296) and No. 8 Alabama (297).
LSU junior
Ingrid Lindblad opened her spring season with a 6-under round of 66 and holds a two-shot lead over Louisville's
Kendall Griffin, the
2021 Florida Women's Amateur champion, heading into Monday's play.
Charlotte Heath, a member of the 2021 Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team who won the 2020 Australia Women's Amateur, and
Beatrice Wallin, a first-team All-America selection by WGCA and Golfweek last year, paced the 'Noles in round one, turning in matching 2-under rounds of 70 and are four strokes behind Lindblad.
Wallin, who will be participating in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur Championship in April, picked up a pair of birdies on each side while Heath carded three birdies against just one bogey in finishing below par for the third time in four career rounds at the Moon Invitational.
“I really liked that each of the girls adjusted to the wind direction which was opposite from what they practiced in yesterday,” said Florida State head coach Amy Bond. “What I saw today was each player seeing and executing their shot before they hit it. They played really good golf today and very importantly had a good attitude when facing the windy conditions. They took what the golf course would give them and that was good to see on the first day of the season.”
Senior
Amelia Williamson is tied for 11th place in the individual standings after opening with an even-par round of 72.
Starting on hole No. 10, Lindblad was even through her first six holes but picked up seven birdies coming home for an opening-round 66.
Florida State Athletic Communications contributed to this report.
ABOUT THE Moon Golf Invitational
54-hole women's college tournament hosted by the
University of Louisville. Team (best four scores out of
five players each round) and individual competitions.
View Complete Tournament Information