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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Johnson Leads Rebels on Day One at SEC Championship
4/17/2019 | Women's Golf
The Sophomore Shot First Round 3-under, Tied for Second Individually
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The No. 35 Ole Miss women's golf team shot a first round 10-over 298 through the first 18 holes Wednesday at the SEC Championship in Birmingham, Alabama.
Sophomore Julia Johnson is tied for second individually after a 3-under 69.
Ole Miss sits right outside the cut line for making it to match play, with two more rounds of stroke play to move inside the top-eight. Ole Miss leads the field in total pars with 60.
"We had some great rounds from Julia and Ellen today," head coach Kory Henkes said. "We have some work to do for tomorrow and we hope to have a little better day, but overall I think it was a good start for us."
Johnson came out of the gates with two birdies in her first three holes and ended her day much like she started it.
The sophomore from St. Gabriel, Louisiana, hit her third shot from 49 yards out on the par-5 No. 18 to within a few feet of the hole. She would tap in for her fourth birdie of the day to finish off her Round 1 69.
Johnson went bogey-free her first 11 holes until her first and only miscue of the day, a bogey on the par-4 No. 12. She played the par-5s (-2) and par 4s (-1) under par today on her way to her 15th round of par or better this season.
"I was really proud of Julia today, she came in and made a lot of clutch par putts along with some great birdies," Henkes said.
Freshman Ellen Hutchinson-Kay sits inside the top-20 after a solid first round at 1-over par. The Taby, Sweden, native is second in the field in total pars with 15 and played the par 5s at 1-under.
"It was a great round today for Ellen," Henkes said. "Coming in here as a freshman and shooting one-over is really impressive because this is a really tough course. With her, you never know if she's under par or over. She's going to keep the same level head all day long. That's a hard characteristic to teach people and she does an excellent job of doing that."
Conner Beth Ball finished her day strong, recording a 1-over on her last nine holes to finish4-over on the day. The sophomore was one of only nine golfers in the 70-player field to birdie the par-3 13th hole.
"Conner Beth was struggling with her ball-striking today, but she grinded out every single shot," Henkes said. "She had more of an 80-round today, but did a good job of turning that into a 76. I was really proud of the fight and effort she showed out there today."
Macy Somoskey, in her SEC championship debut, shot an 8-over 80 in the first round. The freshman is third on the team in pars with 12.
Kennedy Swann rounded out the starting five for the Rebels, shooting a 9-over 81.
Second round play begins Thursday morning with tee times for the Rebels starting at 8 a.m. CT. Ole Miss will be paired with Mississippi State and Vanderbilt.
T-2. Johnson: 69 (-3)
T-19. Hutchinson-Kay: 73 (+1)
T-46. Ball: 76 (+4)
66. Somoskey: 80 (+8)
67. Swann: 81 (+9)
T-1. No. 12 Florida: 284 (-4)
T-1. No. 14 Auburn: 284 (-4)
3. No. 11 South Carolina: 287 (-1)
4. No. 6 Arkansas: 291 (+3)
5. No. 40 Georgia: 293 (+5)
T-6. No. 41 Tennessee: 294 (+6)
T-6. No. 47 Mississippi State: 294 (+6)
8. No. 4 Vanderbilt: 296 (+8)
9. No. 35 Ole Miss: 298 (+10)
T-10. Missouri: 299 (+11)
T-10. LSU: 299 (+11)
12. Texas A&M: 300 (+12)
13. No. 36 Alabama: 301 (+13)
14. Kentucky: 304 (+16)
Sophomore Julia Johnson is tied for second individually after a 3-under 69.
Ole Miss sits right outside the cut line for making it to match play, with two more rounds of stroke play to move inside the top-eight. Ole Miss leads the field in total pars with 60.
"We had some great rounds from Julia and Ellen today," head coach Kory Henkes said. "We have some work to do for tomorrow and we hope to have a little better day, but overall I think it was a good start for us."
Johnson came out of the gates with two birdies in her first three holes and ended her day much like she started it.
The sophomore from St. Gabriel, Louisiana, hit her third shot from 49 yards out on the par-5 No. 18 to within a few feet of the hole. She would tap in for her fourth birdie of the day to finish off her Round 1 69.
Johnson went bogey-free her first 11 holes until her first and only miscue of the day, a bogey on the par-4 No. 12. She played the par-5s (-2) and par 4s (-1) under par today on her way to her 15th round of par or better this season.
"I was really proud of Julia today, she came in and made a lot of clutch par putts along with some great birdies," Henkes said.
Freshman Ellen Hutchinson-Kay sits inside the top-20 after a solid first round at 1-over par. The Taby, Sweden, native is second in the field in total pars with 15 and played the par 5s at 1-under.
"It was a great round today for Ellen," Henkes said. "Coming in here as a freshman and shooting one-over is really impressive because this is a really tough course. With her, you never know if she's under par or over. She's going to keep the same level head all day long. That's a hard characteristic to teach people and she does an excellent job of doing that."
Conner Beth Ball finished her day strong, recording a 1-over on her last nine holes to finish4-over on the day. The sophomore was one of only nine golfers in the 70-player field to birdie the par-3 13th hole.
"Conner Beth was struggling with her ball-striking today, but she grinded out every single shot," Henkes said. "She had more of an 80-round today, but did a good job of turning that into a 76. I was really proud of the fight and effort she showed out there today."
Macy Somoskey, in her SEC championship debut, shot an 8-over 80 in the first round. The freshman is third on the team in pars with 12.
Kennedy Swann rounded out the starting five for the Rebels, shooting a 9-over 81.
Second round play begins Thursday morning with tee times for the Rebels starting at 8 a.m. CT. Ole Miss will be paired with Mississippi State and Vanderbilt.
the rebels
T-2. Johnson: 69 (-3)
T-19. Hutchinson-Kay: 73 (+1)
T-46. Ball: 76 (+4)
66. Somoskey: 80 (+8)
67. Swann: 81 (+9)
team leaderboard
T-1. No. 12 Florida: 284 (-4)
T-1. No. 14 Auburn: 284 (-4)
3. No. 11 South Carolina: 287 (-1)
4. No. 6 Arkansas: 291 (+3)
5. No. 40 Georgia: 293 (+5)
T-6. No. 41 Tennessee: 294 (+6)
T-6. No. 47 Mississippi State: 294 (+6)
8. No. 4 Vanderbilt: 296 (+8)
9. No. 35 Ole Miss: 298 (+10)
T-10. Missouri: 299 (+11)
T-10. LSU: 299 (+11)
12. Texas A&M: 300 (+12)
13. No. 36 Alabama: 301 (+13)
14. Kentucky: 304 (+16)
Players Mentioned
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