WACO, Texas – NCAA Regional play continued for the No. 16 Tennessee women’s golf team on Tuesday with round two of the Waco Regional contested at Ridgewood Country Club.
The Lady Vols shot a 6-over-par 286 in round two, falling to 8-over-par as a team. Tennessee is in seventh place with 18 holes today, chasing a top five finish and NCAA Championship berth during tomorrow’s third and final round.
With the top five teams after 54 holes advancing to the NCAA Championships, the Lady Vols find themselves two strokes behind Baylor and Tulsa, who are tied for fifth place at 6-over-par. No. 21 SMU holds a firm lead atop the Waco Regional standings at 14-under-par after firing a tournament-best round of 11-under-par in round two.
Manassanan Chotikabhukkana marked a six-stroke improvement on Tuesday with a 1-under-par 69, Tennessee’s best round of the day. The senior, fighting to extend her collegiate career, tallied four birdies to just three bogeys in round two. At 4-over-par through 36 holes, Chotikabhukkana is tied for 31st place.
Sophie Christopher earned her second consecutive even-par 70 in round two to post Tennessee’s second-best score for the second day in a row. The sophomore opened her day in style, firing four birdies on a bogey-free first nine holes, before four bogeys on her final nine holes of the day set her back. Christopher is tied for 15th place with an even-par overall score.
Entering the day tied for the individual lead, Kyra Van Kan fell back after shooting a 3-over-par 73 on Tuesday. The All-SEC Second Team selection struggled on the opening nine holes of the day, before bouncing back with a bogey-free 1-under-par second nine. At 1-under-par through 36 holes, Van Kan remains Tennessee’s low scorer for the tournament and is tied for 11th place.
Madison Messimer collected the final countable score toward the Tennessee team total in round two. An uncharacteristic round for the SEC Freshman of the Year ended in a 4-over-par 74 as she suffered many near misses on birdie putts throughout the day. At 5-over-par, Messimer is tied for 39th place entering Wednesday’s final round.
Tennessee will look to climb into the top five and earn a place in the NCAA Championships during round three of the Waco Regional on Wednesday. The Lady Vols will tee off from hole No. 1 beginning at 9:50 a.m. EST.
Waco Regional Standings (Round Two)
1. SMU (-14)
2. Texas A&M (-6)
3. LSU (-1)
4. Oregon (+3)
T-5. Baylor (+6)
T-5. Tulsa (+6)
7. Tennessee (+8)
8. TCU (+11)
9. Tarleton State (+20)
10. Colorado (+23)
11. Prairie View A&M (+59)
12. Northern Arizona (N/A)
Tennessee Results (Round Two)
T-11. Kyra Van Kan: 66-73 = 139 (-1)
T-15. Sophie Christopher: 70-70 = 140 (E)
T-31. Manassanan Chotikabhukkana: 75-69 = 144 (+4)
T-40. Madison Messimer: 71-74 = 145 (+5)
Sofie Engesaeth: X-75 (+5)
Kaopan Thapasit: 75-X (+5)
