Smith Paces Blue Devils on Day One of Landfall Tradition

WILMINGTON, N.C. – Duke women’s golf sophomore Andie Smith carded a 3-under-par, 69, Friday in the opening round of the Landfall Tradition to pace the Blue Devils at the 6,194-yard, par-72 Country Club of Landfall Pete Dye Course in Wilmington, N.C.

As a team, Duke turned in a 2-under-par, 286, and sits fifth overall with 36 holes remaining.  A native of Hobe Sound, Fla., Smith is tied for sixth on the individual leaderboard and only two shots off the lead.  Senior Phoebe Brinker turned in a 1-under-par, 71, which included her 10th career eagle, a new Duke career record.  

How It Happened

•    Andie Smith opened the day by draining an 8-foot birdie on the 375-yard, par-4 10th hole.  She got up-and-down for par on No. 12 and then sank a 10-footer for birdie on No. 14 to get to 2-under.  Another key up-and-down par on No. 17 and she made the turn at 2-under, 34.  Smith sank a 15-foot birdie on No. 1 and then hit her 54-degree wedge from 51 yards to three feet on No. 4 for birdie to move to 4-under.  She went in the greenside bunker on No. 8 and could not get up-and-down for par for her lone bogey of the day, before closing the afternoon with a sand save for par on No. 9, to finish with a 69.

•    A product Wilmington, Del., Phoebe Brinker parred the first two holes and then registered a birdie on No. 12.  She hit her 60-degree wedge on No. 14 from 78 yards for a kick-in birdie to get to 2-under.  After a double-bogey on No. 17, she made the turn at even-par, 36.  Brinker birdied No. 1 and No. 4 to return to 2-under, but had trouble off the tee on No. 5 and had another double.  She responded by hitting her 5-wood from 220 yards to 25 feet on the 496-yard, par-5 sixth hole and drained the eagle. Brinker was in the greenside bunker on No. 9 and bogeyed the final hole to finish with a 71.  She hit a team-high 15 greens.

•    Freshman Katie Li posted 16 pars, one birdie and one bogey on the day en route to shooting an even-par, 72.  Her lone birdie came on the 14th hole as she rolled in a 30-footer.  Li’s blemish on her card was a bogey on No. 5, after hitting her tee shot in the water off the tee.  Her 16 pars tied for second among the field.

•    Graduate student Emma McMyler parred her first 10 holes, before suffering a double-bogey on No. 2.  She came back to birdie the…