A strong second round effort by the No. 4 LSU women’s golf team propelled the Lady Tigers to a one-shot advantage after the first two rounds of the season-opening Central District Invitational in Parrish, Fla.
The Lady Tigers’ second round 290 was the best of the afternoon, four shots better than second place Texas A&M and three shots better than the Tigers’ first-round 293.
LSU entered the second round in fourth place, but the Lady Tigers rallied in the afternoon to take the lead.
“It was a good day for our first competition of the spring,” LSU coach Karen Bahnsen said in a news release. “We left a few strokes out there, but I’m very pleased with our position and now we just need to come out [Tuesday], remained focus and complete our job.”
Freshman Austin Ernst, playing in her first spring event as a Lady Tiger, followed an even-par morning round with a second round of 69. Ernst was the only player in the field of 75 players to shoot a sub-70 round in the afternoon.
Senior All-American Megan McChrystal fired a 1-under-par 71 to lead the Lady Tigers in the morning session and followed that with a 72.
Individually, Ernst finished the day in second place behind TCU’s Brooke Beeler, who fired a sparkling 65 in round 1 before posting a one-over 73 in the second round.
McChrystal is tied for fourth at 1-under-par.
LSU sophomore Mary Michael Maggio is in position to finish in the top 10. The Conway, Ark., native completed day one tied for eighth at 3-over par.
Jacqueline Hedwall, a sophomore from Sweden, shot 77 and 75 for LSU.
Lady Tiger junior Tessa Teachman struggled Monday, shooting rounds of 80 and 77.
Though the Lady Tigers will sleep on the lead, the rearview mirror is crowded. Texas A&M is just one shot off the pace. Iowa State finished two shots back, and TCU looms just four stokes behind LSU.
The third and final round will be an 8 a.m. shotgun start at River Wilderness Golf Club. 
 
 
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Contact Hunt Palmer at [email protected]