High rankings and expectations will take center stage when the No. 4 LSU women’s golf team tees off today in Parish River, Fla., at the Central District Invitational.
As LSU women’s golf coach Karen Bahnsen enters her 28th season at the helm of the Lady Tiger program, talent is not in short supply.
Senior Megan McChrystal carries the No. 1 NCAA ranking into the spring after a phenomenal fall, shooting rounds of 65, 68 and 66 for a final round scoring average of 66.3.
McChrystal, a Stuart, Fla., native, finished in the top five of all three tournaments in which she competed, winning the NCAA fall preview in Bryan, Texas. In those outings, she fired closing rounds of 65, 68 and 66 for a final round scoring average of 66.3.
“I wish it was as easy as she makes it look,” Bahnsen said in a news release. “She’s a real competitor. I’m just glad to have her see some results from all the hard work because the girl has worked her tail off.”
Honorable mention All-American Tessa Teachman returns as LSU’s second most decorated player.
The junior from Baton Rouge notched a pair of top 10’s last spring and posted a scoring average of 73.7, almost two shots better than her freshman season.
Fellow junior Jacqueline Hedwall has finished in the top five on five occasions in her two seasons in Baton Rouge. Hedwall’s consistency has been remarkable. She has played in every team tournament for the past two seasons, and has a career-low round of 68.
Senior Amalie Valle, sophomore Mary Michael Maggio and freshman Austin Ernst round out an LSU lineup as deep as any team in the nation.
“I have six players in the lineup that can go low,” Bahnsen said. “You’ll see some teams with three or four. I have a legitimate six.”
The Lady Tigers tied for fifth at the season opening Central District Invitational last season when they posted a 34-over-par 898 in the two-day event.
Play begins at 7 a.m. Monday and Tuesday.
After returning home from Florida, LSU will be in Louisiana for their next two outings — the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate at English Turn Golf Club in New Orleans and the LSU Golf Classic at the University Club in Baton Rouge.
 
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Contact Hunt Palmer at [email protected]