Photo by: Gerrit Van Genderen
Bears Move into Top Five at Brickyard Collegiate
4/9/2018 5:18:00 PM | Women's Golf
Terese Romeo fires collegiate-low 69 to pace Mercer
MACON, Ga. – Mercer shot a three-over-par 291 on Monday at the 2018 Brickyard Collegiate, presented by Mizuno Golf, at The Brickyard Golf Club to jump into fifth place entering the final 18 holes of play.
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Junior Terese Romeo carded a collegiate-low and field-best 69 to pace the Bears (+25) to a 19-stroke improvement from Sunday's opening-round 310.
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Mercer Scorecard
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Coach Drinkard's Take
"The team came out much more relaxed and played with a lot of confidence today," said head coach Michele Drinkard. "We really put ourselves in a position to finish strong Tuesday.
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"The team did an outstanding job of hitting fairways and greens consistently to get eventual looks at birdies and par saves; that's what it takes to stay competitive in a tough field like this. Individually, I'm proud of Terese [Romeo]. She had the mentality that this was her course and that she simply needed to play like she's capable of. She stayed in a present mindset and let the game come to her."
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Mercer on Team Leaderboard
Mercer's 291 was the fourth-best score from the 15-team field Monday. The Bears are four strokes off of fourth-place Virginia Tech (+21) and seven shots off in-state rival Kennesaw State (+18), which owns sole possession of third place. With a six-shot lead on sixth-place Troy (+31), Mercer will aim for a top-three finish at its second annual Brickyard Collegiate.
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Mercer also leads the three other Southern Conference teams in the field (Chattanooga, +35; ETSU, +42; Samford, +59).
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Mercer on Individual Leaderboard
All but two Bear shot lower scores than they did on Sunday, one of the outliers being Payton Schanen, who shot a strong one-over-par 73 to remain three strokes off the individual lead heading into Tuesday's final round. Romeo's 69 moved her into a five-way tie for 14th along with Hannah Mae Deems (+5).
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Karina Kukkonen, who hit an eagle on No. 1 en route to a three-over-par 75, ranks fourth among nine individual golfers in the field.
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Tuesday's Tee Times & Pairings
Play will conclude Tuesday following a 9 a.m. shotgun start at the Brickyard Collegiate. Mercer's starting five will tee off with Virginia Tech and Troy from holes No. 4, 5 and 6. Individuals Karina Kukkonen and Jaelyn Tindal will tee off with Troy's Abby Parks on No. 18.
For complete coverage of Mercer Women's Golf, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerWGolf (Twitter), /MercerWGolf (Facebook) and @MercerWGolf (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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Junior Terese Romeo carded a collegiate-low and field-best 69 to pace the Bears (+25) to a 19-stroke improvement from Sunday's opening-round 310.
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Mercer Scorecard
| 5 | Mercer | 310 | 291 | -- | +25 | 601 |
| T-5 | Payton Schanen | 72 | 73 | -- | +1 | 145 |
| T-14 | Terese Romeo | 80 | 69 | -- | +5 | 149 |
| T-14 | Hannah Mae Deems | 75 | 74 | -- | +5 | 149 |
| T-31 | Karina Kukkonen (Ind.) | 78 | 75 | -- | +9 | 153 |
| T-54 | Jaelyn Tindal | 78 | 80 | -- | +14 | 158 |
| T-61 | Lauren Lightfritz | 84 | 75 | -- | +15 | 159 |
| T-70 | Jodee Tindal | 83 | 79 | -- | +18 | 162 |
Coach Drinkard's Take
"The team came out much more relaxed and played with a lot of confidence today," said head coach Michele Drinkard. "We really put ourselves in a position to finish strong Tuesday.
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"The team did an outstanding job of hitting fairways and greens consistently to get eventual looks at birdies and par saves; that's what it takes to stay competitive in a tough field like this. Individually, I'm proud of Terese [Romeo]. She had the mentality that this was her course and that she simply needed to play like she's capable of. She stayed in a present mindset and let the game come to her."
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Mercer on Team Leaderboard
Mercer's 291 was the fourth-best score from the 15-team field Monday. The Bears are four strokes off of fourth-place Virginia Tech (+21) and seven shots off in-state rival Kennesaw State (+18), which owns sole possession of third place. With a six-shot lead on sixth-place Troy (+31), Mercer will aim for a top-three finish at its second annual Brickyard Collegiate.
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Mercer also leads the three other Southern Conference teams in the field (Chattanooga, +35; ETSU, +42; Samford, +59).
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Mercer on Individual Leaderboard
All but two Bear shot lower scores than they did on Sunday, one of the outliers being Payton Schanen, who shot a strong one-over-par 73 to remain three strokes off the individual lead heading into Tuesday's final round. Romeo's 69 moved her into a five-way tie for 14th along with Hannah Mae Deems (+5).
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Karina Kukkonen, who hit an eagle on No. 1 en route to a three-over-par 75, ranks fourth among nine individual golfers in the field.
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Tuesday's Tee Times & Pairings
Play will conclude Tuesday following a 9 a.m. shotgun start at the Brickyard Collegiate. Mercer's starting five will tee off with Virginia Tech and Troy from holes No. 4, 5 and 6. Individuals Karina Kukkonen and Jaelyn Tindal will tee off with Troy's Abby Parks on No. 18.
- Payton Schanen | No. 4A
- Terese Romeo | 5B
- Hannah Mae Deems | 5A
- Lauren Lightfritz | 6B
- Jodee Tindal | 6A
- Karina Kukkonen | 18A
- Jaelyn Tindal | 18A
For complete coverage of Mercer Women's Golf, please follow the Bears on social media at @MercerWGolf (Twitter), /MercerWGolf (Facebook) and @MercerWGolf (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
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