Smith Cards 71 on Day Two of NCAA Championship

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Day two of the NCAA Championship is complete with the Duke women’s golf team entering Sunday’s action in 15th place, after totaling rounds of 288 and 296 for a 584 at the 6,368-yard, par 72 Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.

With the Blue Devils entering the third round in the top-15, Duke will tee off in the morning with the leaders beginning at 11 a.m. (ET).  Following Sunday’s third round, the top-15 teams will advance to Monday’s final round of stroke play.  

Duke was led on Saturday by freshman Andie Smith with a 1-under-par, 71, as the Blue Devils were limited to nine birdies following 18 in round one.  

How It Happened

•    Duke opened the second round at 11:30 a.m., locally, off hole No. 1.  

•    Saturday’s action was met with much warmer conditions, especially in the afternoon when the Blue Devils were closing.

•    The Blue Devils had a slow start with five bogeys over the first three holes, before Phoebe Brinker rolled in Duke’s first birdie of the day on the par-5 fourth hole.  

•    Andie Smith had Duke’s best start to the round as she parred the first five holes, before carding back-to-back birdies on No. 6 and No. 7.  On the sixth hole, Smith rolled in a 14-foot putt and then on the par-5 seventh she hit the green in two.  She had a 20-foot downhill eagle putt and 2-putted for birdie.  Smith moved her score to 3-under with a 20-footer for birdie on the 156-yard, par-3 13th.  She hit her first 14 greens on the day and missed her first one on No. 15, before suffering her first bogey of the day.  Smith parred No. 16 and No. 17 and suffered another bogey on No. 18 to finish with a 71.  She is tied for 38th with a 144.  

•    Senior Erica Shepherd turned in a 74 on Saturday and enters the third round in a tie for 38th at even par, 144.  She hit all nine greens on the front nine, while registering eight pars and one bogey, which came on No. 5 with a 3-putt.  Shepherd got unlucky on No. 11 and suffered a double-bogey, but responded with back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th holes.  She sank an 8-footer for birdie on No. 12 and then rolled in a 42-footer for birdie on No. 13.  Shepherd had another 3-putt on No. 14, before closing with four straight pars.  She had an impressive sand save for par on No. 17 on the way in….