The University of Mississippi Athletics
Lady Rebel Golfers Head To Bayou Country
3/17/2005 | Women's Golf
March 17, 2005
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OXFORD, Miss. - The Ole Miss women's golf team returns to action this weekend at the LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic at the University Club in Baton Rouge, La., in one of the major spring tournaments leading up to postseason play.
The Lady Rebels recently placed ninth at the Pinehurst Challenge in Pinehurst, N.C., and are looking for improved scores at the more familiar University Club course, site of last year's SEC Championships in addition to the annual Classic.
"This is a great tournament. Our girls really love this golf course. We're excited to be playing and want to finish strong in the next three tournaments," said Ole Miss head coach Meghan Bolger. The Lady Rebels head to Athens, Ga., for the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic next weekend before getting ready to host the SEC Championships at Tunica National April 15-17.
Senior Nikki Hadd and sophomore Katie Davidson lead Ole Miss with 76.32 stroke averages, each. Davidson is coming off a tie for 10th place at the Pinehurst Challenge, which was her second top-10 finish this spring.
The field of 16 boasts five teams currently ranked in Golfweek's Top 50 - No. 13 Tulane, No. 16 LSU, No. 31 Mississippi State, No. 37 UNC-Wilmington and No. 40 N.C. State. Six SEC teams will be competing. In addition to Ole Miss, LSU and Mississippi State, the others are Alabama, Kentucky and Vanderbilt.
Rounding out the field are Augusta State, Birmingham Southern, College of Charleston, James Madison, Kansas, Louisville and North Carolina.
"This is another great field," Bolger added. "We still have a lot of talent and a lot of hope for the next three tournaments. Nikki and Katie have been playing well, and we've been getting help from Sarah Kate (Cousart). We just want to make sure we finish strong."
The Lady Rebels captured fourth place at last year's LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic, as they were led by Hadd's 76-72-75--223 and third-place finish, which tied for the best finish by a Lady Rebel in any 2003-04 tournament.
Play for the three-day affair will kick off Friday morning at 8:30. The Lady Rebels begin their first round at 10 a.m. on Friday.
