Stanford, Zhang take early leads at Stanford Intercollegiate
Rose Zhang (Stanford Athletics photo)
It was business as usual on Friday for the top-ranked Stanford women's team, as the Cardinal shot an 8-under 276 to take the first-round lead of the Stanford Intercollegiate.
Sophomore Rose Zhang leads the individual field after firing a bogey-free, 5-under 66 while junior Sadie Englemann also turned in a clean card with a 4-under 67. Freshman Megha Ganne was also in red numbers, finishing with a 1-under 70 in her first tournament at Stanford Golf Course.
At 5-under, Zhang is nursing a one-stroke lead over Englemann, Taglao Jeeravivitaporn of Iowa State, Anna Zanusso of Denver and Lucia Lopez-Ortega of San Jose State. A total of 21 players managed to break par at the venerable Stanford Golf Course, which is playing at 6269 yards this week.
With her opening round 66, Zhang is 21-under in her last four rounds at the Stanford Intercollegiate, after winning last year's tournament with a 16-under score of 197.
Stanford's 8-under 276 on Friday gave the Cardinal a three-stroke lead over San Jose State, a team that defeated its neighbor to the north twice last season at the Lampkin Invitational and Juli Inkster Intercollegiate.
The Spartan's 5-under 279 was led by Lopez-Ortega's 4-under 67 and a 3-under 68 by Antonia Malate, who was tied with Zhang for the individual lead until she made bogeys on her final two holes and had to settle for a 68. The Spartans also benefitted from an even par 71 by senior Kajsa Arwefjall.
Denver (-3), Northwestern (-2) and Virginia (-1) round out the top-five.
Zanusso (-4) and Clara Gestsdottir (-2) did the heavy lifting for Denver, as Martha Richards' team more than held their own against some of the top programs in the nation on Friday.
Neither seventh-ranked Texas, No. 11 USC or Georgia could find a hot hand on Friday and are tied for sixth at even par.
The Stanford Intercollegiate continues with second-round action on Saturday with the final 18 holes slated for Sunday.
ABOUT THE Condoleezza Rice Intercollegiate
54-hole women's college event
hosted by Stanford University. Team (best four scores
out of five players each
round) and individual competitions.
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