Alabama, Texas share Schooner Classic lead at 12 under

NORMAN, Okla. (Sept. 28, 2018) – In its second start of the fall season, Alabama pulled a familiar trick. A week ago, the Crimson Tide won the Annika Intercollegiate on the strength of a fierce back-nine charge. On Friday at the Schooner Fall Classic, Alabama’s four scorers went 8 under on the back nine on the way to and opening 12-under 272.

Two of those four players, Lauren Stephenson and Jiwon Jeon, didn’t make a bogey on the back nine. Those two are also tied for the individual lead after rounds of 5-under 66 at Belmar Golf Club. Kristen Gillman, the U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, put up the next-best number, a 2-under 69, and is tied for 10th. Gillman won the individual title here last year.

Alabama is tied for the lead with Texas, which finished fourth at the Annika to open its season. Freshman Sara Kouskova led the Longhorn charge with a 5-under 66 that left her with a share of the lead, too.

Two other players logged an opening 66, including Wisconsin’s Aya Johnson and Texas A&M’s Amber Park. The field averaged 73.02 on the par-71 layout.

On the team leaderboard, Baylor checked in in third with a 6-under 278 and Florida State was fourth at 2-under 282. No other team was under par in the first round.