The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor women’s golf team’s bid for an 11th American Southwest Conference championship is off to a strong start following the opening round of the ASC Championship Tournament Monday in Austin. The Cru holds the team lead at the midway point of the event.
UMHB fired an opening-round 316 to grab a six-stroke lead over defending conference champion U.T.-Tyler’s second-place total of 322. Hardin-Simmons is in third place after posting a 325, Concordia Texas holds down fourth place after carding a 336 and U.T.-Dallas rounds out the top five at 337. There is an eight-team field competing in the tournament.
McKenna Ralston played the front nine at one-under par on her way to an opening round 76. Ralston is tied for second place individually, one stroke behind the 75 carded by first-round leader Holly Mendez of Concordia Texas. Emily Ming shot 79 for UMHB to tie for sixth place, Cassidy Rawls is in tenth place after shooting an 80 on Monday, Olivia Robinson recorded an 81 to tie for 11th place and Annie Hasselbach fired an 84 and sits in 17th place for the Cru.
The two-day, 36-hole tournament is being played on a par-72, 5,826-yard layout at Avery Ranch Golf Club in Austin. Teams will tee off for Tuesday’s final round with an 8 am shotgun start. The ASC Tournament champion will receive an automatic bid to the 2018 NCAA Division III National Championships.
