May 6, 2010

East Regional Championship Central l NCAA Championship Central

NCAA East Regional Round 1 Results (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. - The East Carolina women's golf team carded a 5-over-par 293 Thursday in the first round of the NCAA East Regional Championship and currently sits in a tie for 13th place.

The NCAA East Regional is a 54-hole stroke play event hosted by the Pirates (102-64-1) at Ironwood Country Club. The par-72 course is playing at 6,321 yards for the three-day tournament.

Sophomore Amy Otteson (36-34) leads the Pirates after an opening round 2-under-par 70 and is in a 10-way tie for 10th place. Otteson tied her career-low round after registering birdies on holes No. 2, No. 11, No. 15 and no. 17.

Abby Bools is three shots behind Otteson after a first round score of 1-over-par 73 and holds a share of 43rd place. The two-time Conference USA Player-of-the-Year carded a front nine score of 38 and finished the back nine with a one-under 35.

Colleen Estes (38-37), Amber Littman (39-36) and Ana Maria Puche (37-38) are tied for 67th place with a three-over par 75.

Leading the 24-team field at the end of Thursday's play is No. 4 Auburn, who fired an 8-under-par 280 and holes a one-shot lead over No. 11 Pepperdine (281). No. 29 Tennessee and No. 18 South Carolina hold a share fourth place with a 5-under-par 283, while fellow Southeastern Conference member No. 22 Florida is in fifth with a 4-under-par 284.

East Tennessee State's Nina Muehl (32-32) holds a three-shot lead over South Carolina's Katie Burnett (35-32) and the Pepperdine duo of Jessica Wallace (33-34) and Danielle Kang (34-33) after posting an impressive 8-under par 64. Rounding out the top-5 is Auburn's Carlie Yadloczky (33-35) who posted a 4-under-par 68.

The NCAA East Regional is one of three qualifying tournaments for the NCAA Championship, set for May 18-21 at the Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C. The top eight teams from each of the three regionals will advance to the NCAA Championship.

ECU will be back on the course Friday morning when they tee off from the 10th hole starting at 8:55 a.m. (EDT).