WRAL Sports Fan

WRALSportsFan

W GOLF: Blumenherst Opens Season In First, Team Tied For Second

Feb 26, 2008

TUCSON, ARIZ. - Duke University junior Amanda Blumenherst opened the 2008 spring season on fire Monday as the two-time National Player of the Year was five-under-par through five holes and concluded the day in first place by one stroke at the Wildcat Invitational in Tucson, Ariz. Blumenherst carded an 18-hole total of three under-par, 68, while the top-ranked Blue Devils opened the first round in tied for second at the 6,238-yard, Par 71 Arizona National.

As a team, Duke carded a four-over-par, 288, and trails Arizona State (287) by one stroke. The Blue Devils are tied for second with Arizona, Oklahoma State and UCLA followed by Auburn (292), Pepperdine (293), Southern California (296), California (297) and New Mexico (298) rounding out the top 10. As a team, Duke carded 10 birdies and one eagle.

"For getting things started out [this spring], I think we did really well," said Duke Head Coach Dan Brooks. "If I heard anything and I am careful to listen to them as a group as they are all individuals, but I think putting is the thing I heard the most that wasn't going well. We had a good day but we are not comfortable unless we are going under par. We will hope to get some of those putts to fall tomorrow and go under par."

Blumenherst, who is a native of Scottsdale, Ariz., opened her day with birdie, eagle, birdie, par, birdie during her first five holes. She closed the final four holes of the front nine with two pars and two bogeys to make the turn at three-under-par. Blumenherst's eagle came on the 524-yard, par five where she hit her second shot on the green and made a 60-foot putt for her third career eagle. She leads by one stroke over Mari Chun of Stanford (69). She closed the final nine holes with two birdies, two bogeys and five pars.

"I am really happy for her," said Brooks. "She has been working on her swing a little bit this winter. Anytime you are working on your swing, you are going to be a little off. I was really happy she was able to go play in a tournament as I felt like once she was able to get in a tournament things would get better. Sure enough, her first five holes she was five under par. That is what Amanda is all about."

Senior Jennifer Pandolfi opened her spring with a one-over-par, 72, and is tied for 14th. A product of Navarre, Fla., Pandolfi also started her final semester of golf on a hot streak with birdies on the second and fifth holes to move to two-under-par. She had two pars and two bogies to close out the front nine at even-par, 35. Pandolfi had a solid back nine with eight pars and a bogey on the 14th.

Both Alison Whitaker and Jennie Lee each turned in a three-over-par, 74, and are tied for 30th. Kim Donovan is also tied for 50th with a 77. Playing as an individual, sophomore Yu Young Lee posted a 75 and is tied for 39th.

The 54-hole Wildcat Invitational will feature 18 holes on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Blue Devils will tee off beginning at 9:10 a.m. (MST) on Tuesday along with Arizona, Arizona State and Oklahoma State.