The No. 18 Michigan State women's golf team is tied for seventh place after one round of the NCAA East Regional after shooting a 9-over par 297 on Thursday at LPGA International's Legends Course.
The NCAA Women's Golf Championships are divided into three regional sites and conclude with the finals May 18-21 at the Traditions Club Course in Bryan, Texas. Each regional site hosts 24 teams and six individuals, with the top eight teams and two individuals in each region advancing to the finals. The tournament format is 54 holes over three days.
Sophomore Caroline Powers led MSU in the first round with a 1-under 71, including a team-best four birdies on the day, and is currently in a tie for sixth place on the individual leaderboard. Powers, who started on the back nine, carded three birdies in her first nine holes and was at 3-under 33 before shooting a 2-over 38 on the front nine of the course.
Freshman Christine Meier, playing in her first NCAA event, is tied for 19th after she shot a 1-over 73. Meier collected two birdies and was at even-par 36 in her first nine holes, and followed with a 1-over 37 in her second nine. She closed out her round with a birdie on the par 4, No. 9 hole.
Junior Lindsey Solberg compiled a 38 on both ends of her scorecard to finish at 4-over 76 for the afternoon. She is currently tied for 56th. Allyssa Ferrell, also a true freshman playing in her first NCAA event, carded a 77 (39-38) and is tied for 69th.
Senior Aimee Neff shot a 79 (39-40) in her first round, but did close out with a birdie on No. 9. The Spartans are 11 shots back of Coastal Carolina, who leads the field after 18 holes of play with a 2-under 286. MSU is tied with Florida State at 297 and sits one shot ahead of ninth-place Florida. On the individual board, Powers is just two shots behind Coastal Carolina's Jessica Alexander and Florida State's Jessica Negron, who both shot a 3-under 69 on Thursday.
The Spartans are making their 13th consecutive appearance at the NCAA Regionals and are the No. 6 seed in the 24-team NCAA East Regional.