NCAA Golf News

Blue Devils Jump Out to Hot Start at Landfall Tradition

Blue Devils Jump Out to Hot Start at Landfall Tradition


WILMINGTON, N.C. – Coming off a victory in the last tournament, the Duke women’s golf team kept the momentum rolling Friday in the opening round of the Landfall Tradition by firing a season-best 9-under-par, 279, at the 6,178-yard, Par-72 Country Club of Landfall Dye Course in Wilmington. 
 
The Blue Devils are tied with Florida State following day one, while North Carolina is second (280) with 36 holes remaining. 
 
Duke was paced by sophomore Katie Li, who carded a 5-under, 67, and junior Andie Smith with a 3-under, 69.  The duo rank tied for second and tied for sixth overall, respectively, through 18 holes.  Senior Rylie Heflin totaled her first career hole-in-one and the ninth in Duke history as well. 
 
How It Happened

  • Katie Li turned in a very eventful and impressive start to her round as she hit her 54-degree wedge from 85 yards for eagle to open the day at 2-under-par.  A Basking Ridge, N.J., product, Li then rolled in a 15-footer for birdie on No. 2 and 10-foot birdie on No. 3 to get to 4-under through three holes.  She then parred 11 out of the next 12 holes with a bogey on No. 7.  On the 145-yard, par-3 No. 16, Li stuck her 8-iron from 147 yards to four feet for birdie and then hit a 24-yard flop shot to seven feet for birdie on No. 18 to finish with a 67. Li hit a career-best 17 greens on the day.
  • Coming off registering her first collegiate victory in the last event, Andie Smith had another stellar day for the Blue Devils with a 3-under, 69.  It marked her fourth straight round in the 60s.  Smith kicked off her day with seven consecutive pars, before rolling in a 12-foot birdie on the 157-yard, par-3 eighth hole.  She went birdie, bogey, par to open the back nine, before reeling off three straight birdies on holes 13-15.  Smith, who is from Hobe Sound, Fla., started it off by draining a 10-footer for birdie on No. 13 and then hit her 54-degree wedge from 100 yards to eight feet for birdie on No. 14. She sank a 15-foot birdie on No. 15 to get to 4-under.  Smith suffered a double-bogey on No. 17, but came back to get up-and-down from the greenside rough by hitting a flop shot for birdie on the 451-yard, par-5 18th hole to…

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