Friday, March 8
Forest Hills Golf Course / Augusta, Ga.
All Day
University of Georgia
T4th (-5)
at
Valspar Augusta Invitational - Day 1
Photo by: Rob Davis
Cowart Tied For Individual Lead After First Day Of Valspar Invitational
March 08, 2024 | Women's Golf
Georgia tied for fourth on team leaderboard
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AUGUSTA, Ga. — Junior LoraLie Cowart covered the opening 28 holes of the Valspar Augusta Invitational at 7-under on Friday and shared the individual lead when play was suspended due to darkness. The No. 28-ranked Georgia women's golf team was at 5-under and tied for fourth when sirens sounded.
Cowart is knotted with the Ole Miss pair of Natacha Husted and Sophie Linder atop the individual leaderboard. Georgia also is in a three-way along with No. 16 Clemson and Alabama in the team field.
"It was a really good day for LoraLie," head coach Josh Brewer said. "She continues to prove that she can go really low, and we know we have several other people of doing the exact same thing. Hopefully, we're going to put it together at some point, but I'm pleased that LoraLie had a day like today because she's been really close to doing so all spring."
The Bulldogs posted a 3-under 285 in the first round. Cowart led the way with a 3-under 69, with Georgia also counting a pair of 1-under 71s from Caterina Don and Natachanok "Drive" Tunwannarux and a 74 from Napat "Jenny" Lertsadwattana.
When play was halted midway through the second round, Cowart was at 3-under through 10 holes, Tunwannarux was at even par and Savannah De Bock, Don and Lertsadwattana all were at 1-over.
Cowart teed off from No. 9 and opened her day with a trio of pars before going bogey-birdie at No. 12 and No. 13. Following a double-bogey at No. 16, she regained one of those strokes with a birdie at No. 18 and then notched birdies on four of her first five holes on the front nine.
Cowart continued her hot streak in the second round. After a par at No. 9, she had back-to-back birdies twice on the back nine at Nos. 10-11 and Nos. 15-16. She wrapped up her day with pars at Nos. 17-18 before play was halted by darkness.
Cowart continued what has been a breakout junior season on Friday. After compiling a 75.60 stroke average with three par-or-better scores in 42 combined rounds as a sophomore and junior, she owns a 72.65 average with 11 par-or-better tallies in 23 completed rounds – and is 4-under through 10 holes of her 24th round – as a junior.
"She's just more comfortable," Brewer said. "She's been in the program for two years, and this year I think she's been more comfortable in a role as a leader along with Caterina. She's been able to play a more freely, knowing that she's able to make a mistake and it's not going to get her in or out of the lineup. She also knows that she can make a mistake here or there and still go low."
Overall, Tunwannarux is tied for 20th at 1-under, Don is tied for 29th at even par, Lertsadwattan is tied for 59th at 3-over and De Bock is tied for 80th at 8-over.
No. 14 Ole Miss was leading the team field at 14-under, four shots better than No. 5 South Carolina. No. 12 Auburn was third at 9-under, followed by the Bulldogs, Crimson Tide and Tigers at 5-under and No. 21 Florida State, Oklahoma State and Georgia Southern at 2-under.
Originally schedule to start on Saturday, the tournament was pushed up a day due to the forecast of heavy rains. Saturday's play has now been cancelled and the tournament will be completed on Sunday. Live scoring will be available at www.golfstat.com.
"It's been a busy week," Brewer said. "We'll rest, but we will try to get some practice in tomorrow. We have some people that need to tighten some things up before we get back on the course on Sunday."
Valspar Augusta Invitational
Forest Hills Golf Club
Augusta, Ga.
Par 72; 6261 Yards
Friday's Standings
Team Leaderboard
Ole Miss -14
South Carolina -10
Auburn -9
Georgia -5
Clemson -5
Alabama -5
Florida State -2
Oklahoma State -2
Georgia Southern -2
Michigan -1
Wake Forest +1
Augusta +4
South Florida +6
Virginia Tech +10
Louisville +11
Furman +14
Coastal Carolina +19
Individual Leaderboard
LoraLie Cowart, Georgia -7
Natacha Husted Ole Miss -7
Sophie Linder, Ole Miss -7
Mirabel Ting, Florida St. -6
Abby Newton, Ga. Southern -5
Thitaporn Saithip, Oklahoma St. -4
Napabhach Boon-In, Augusta -4
Harriet Lockley, Alabama -4
Hannah Darling, S. Carolina -4
Louise Reau, Ga. Southern -4
Additional Georgia Scores:
T20. Drive Tunwannarux -1
T29. Caterina Don E
T59. Napat Lertsadwattana +3
T80. Savannah De Bock +8
AUGUSTA, Ga. — Junior LoraLie Cowart covered the opening 28 holes of the Valspar Augusta Invitational at 7-under on Friday and shared the individual lead when play was suspended due to darkness. The No. 28-ranked Georgia women's golf team was at 5-under and tied for fourth when sirens sounded.
Cowart is knotted with the Ole Miss pair of Natacha Husted and Sophie Linder atop the individual leaderboard. Georgia also is in a three-way along with No. 16 Clemson and Alabama in the team field.
"It was a really good day for LoraLie," head coach Josh Brewer said. "She continues to prove that she can go really low, and we know we have several other people of doing the exact same thing. Hopefully, we're going to put it together at some point, but I'm pleased that LoraLie had a day like today because she's been really close to doing so all spring."
The Bulldogs posted a 3-under 285 in the first round. Cowart led the way with a 3-under 69, with Georgia also counting a pair of 1-under 71s from Caterina Don and Natachanok "Drive" Tunwannarux and a 74 from Napat "Jenny" Lertsadwattana.
When play was halted midway through the second round, Cowart was at 3-under through 10 holes, Tunwannarux was at even par and Savannah De Bock, Don and Lertsadwattana all were at 1-over.
Cowart teed off from No. 9 and opened her day with a trio of pars before going bogey-birdie at No. 12 and No. 13. Following a double-bogey at No. 16, she regained one of those strokes with a birdie at No. 18 and then notched birdies on four of her first five holes on the front nine.
Cowart continued her hot streak in the second round. After a par at No. 9, she had back-to-back birdies twice on the back nine at Nos. 10-11 and Nos. 15-16. She wrapped up her day with pars at Nos. 17-18 before play was halted by darkness.
Cowart continued what has been a breakout junior season on Friday. After compiling a 75.60 stroke average with three par-or-better scores in 42 combined rounds as a sophomore and junior, she owns a 72.65 average with 11 par-or-better tallies in 23 completed rounds – and is 4-under through 10 holes of her 24th round – as a junior.
"She's just more comfortable," Brewer said. "She's been in the program for two years, and this year I think she's been more comfortable in a role as a leader along with Caterina. She's been able to play a more freely, knowing that she's able to make a mistake and it's not going to get her in or out of the lineup. She also knows that she can make a mistake here or there and still go low."
Overall, Tunwannarux is tied for 20th at 1-under, Don is tied for 29th at even par, Lertsadwattan is tied for 59th at 3-over and De Bock is tied for 80th at 8-over.
No. 14 Ole Miss was leading the team field at 14-under, four shots better than No. 5 South Carolina. No. 12 Auburn was third at 9-under, followed by the Bulldogs, Crimson Tide and Tigers at 5-under and No. 21 Florida State, Oklahoma State and Georgia Southern at 2-under.
Originally schedule to start on Saturday, the tournament was pushed up a day due to the forecast of heavy rains. Saturday's play has now been cancelled and the tournament will be completed on Sunday. Live scoring will be available at www.golfstat.com.
"It's been a busy week," Brewer said. "We'll rest, but we will try to get some practice in tomorrow. We have some people that need to tighten some things up before we get back on the course on Sunday."
Valspar Augusta Invitational
Forest Hills Golf Club
Augusta, Ga.
Par 72; 6261 Yards
Friday's Standings
Team Leaderboard
Ole Miss -14
South Carolina -10
Auburn -9
Georgia -5
Clemson -5
Alabama -5
Florida State -2
Oklahoma State -2
Georgia Southern -2
Michigan -1
Wake Forest +1
Augusta +4
South Florida +6
Virginia Tech +10
Louisville +11
Furman +14
Coastal Carolina +19
Individual Leaderboard
LoraLie Cowart, Georgia -7
Natacha Husted Ole Miss -7
Sophie Linder, Ole Miss -7
Mirabel Ting, Florida St. -6
Abby Newton, Ga. Southern -5
Thitaporn Saithip, Oklahoma St. -4
Napabhach Boon-In, Augusta -4
Harriet Lockley, Alabama -4
Hannah Darling, S. Carolina -4
Louise Reau, Ga. Southern -4
Additional Georgia Scores:
T20. Drive Tunwannarux -1
T29. Caterina Don E
T59. Napat Lertsadwattana +3
T80. Savannah De Bock +8
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