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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Ole Miss
Round 1
Rebels Lead Through 18 Holes at Magnolia Invitational
10/1/2017 | Women's Golf
WEST POINT, Miss. – Thanks to perhaps the best round in Ole Miss women’s golf history, the co-host Rebels hold a nine-stroke lead over second-place Tennessee after 18 holes at the Magnolia Invitational.
The four counting Rebels all finished at even par or better en route to a team score of 10-under par at Old Waverly Golf Club. At 278 strokes, Team 32 tied an Ole Miss record for the lowest round in program history.
“It was fun to watch,” said head coach Kory Henkes. “We saw a lot of great things across the board—all nine of our girls really.”
Freshman Julia Johnson led the way with a career-best 4-under (68). She closed her front nine strong with back-to-back birdies on the eighth and ninth holes to make the turn at 3-under par. The St. Gabriel, Louisiana, native was 3-under going into the final hole and finished her round with a brilliant birdie putt on 18.
Junior Kie Purdom continued her outstanding start to the 2017-18 season with her third-straight tournament with a personal-best round at 3-under (69). The Lexington, Kentucky, native put together the team’s best back-nine performance, carding back-to-back birdies on 14 and 15 and closing out with another on 18 to secure her best 18 holes as a Rebel.
Freshman Conner Beth Ball matched Purdom’s 3-under (69) round and did so with the team’s best front-nine at 4-under par. The Madison, Mississippi, native recorded four birdies in a five-hole span to lead Ole Miss out of the gates.
Ole Miss’ fourth counting scorer, junior Diane Lim, also turned in her best performance as a Rebel. The Suwanee, Georgia native picked up a birdie on the par-3 seventh hole and went back-to-back on the 14th and 15th to close up at even-par (72).
“It was cool to see our freshmen really step up and throw some low numbers out there,” Henkes said. “It was Julia’s low round as a Rebel and Kie broke another record today, so that’s always fun. A lot of great things. Not only good golf shots, but they had a great attitude. They’re all pulling for each other each and every shot. I think that played a big part on their low scores today.”
The Rebels’ four individuals were led by freshman Macy Holliday’s impressive collegiate debut. In her first round as a Rebel, the Dallas native shot 1-over (73) and is tied for 16th.
Four Rebels sit in the Top 10 going into Round 2. Johnson is tied for second, one stroke behind Tennessee’s Anna Newell. Purdom and Ball are tied for fourth, while Lim stands in a tie for ninth.
Johnson is tied with Newell for the tournament lead with seven birdies.
Ole Miss’ individuals will tee off starting at 8:40 a.m. CT for Round 2. The counting group tees off starting at 9:20 a.m.
Results 
| Live Scoring | Live Tweeting
The Rebels
T2. Julia Johnson: 68 (-4)
T4. Conner Beth Ball: 69 (-3)
T4. Kie Purdom: 69 (-3)
T9. Diane Lim: 72 (E)
T42. Pi-Lillebi Hermansson: 78 (+6)
Individuals
T16. Macy Holliday: 73 (+1)
T38. Katy Harris: 77 (+5)
T38. Martina Flori: 77 (+5)
T38. Laura Hoskin: 77 (+5)
The Field
1. Ole Miss: 278 (-10)
2. Tennessee: 287 (-1)
T3. Memphis: 291 (+3)
T3. Auburn: 291 (+3)
5. Mississippi State: 296 (+8)
T6. Kansas State: 301 (+13)
T6: LSU: 301 (+13)
8. Southern Miss: 303 (+15)
9. Augusta: 307 (+19)
10. Troy: 321 (+33)
For all Ole Miss women’s golf news and information, go to OleMissSports.com, and follow the Rebels on Twitter at @OleMissWGolf and Facebook at Ole Miss Women’s Golf.
