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University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Women's Golf Tied for 10th, Benge Tied for Fifth After Day Two of the Rivertowne Invitational
02.27.2023 | Women's Golf
MT. PLEASANT, S.C. - The UNC Asheville women's golf team is tied for 10th as a team, while Kayla Benge sits in a tie for fifth individually after day two of the Rivertowne Invitational on Monday (Feb. 27). Madyson Gold also set a new program record for career birdies with her performance today.
The Bulldogs (+17) sit in a three-way tie with Jacksonville and Western Carolina, after putting together a team score of 300 (+12) in round two. The Bulldogs sit just one shot behind ninth-place Richmond (+16) and two shots behind eighth-place North Alabama (+15), and also just five shots behind seventh-place Lipscomb (+12) and seven shots off sixth-place Elon (+10). Kayla Benge shot 71 (-1) for the second straight day to sit in a tie for fifth, while Phoebe Carles sits in a tie for 17th after a 76 (+4) in round two. Gold improved her spot to a tie for 34th after a 73 (+1) in the second round, while Venecia Zaia turned in an 80 (+8) and Ally Kerr finished with an 86 (+14). Â
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"Today was a difficult day to describe," said head coach Ross Cash. "First of all, I'm so proud of the way Kayla has stepped up this week, it's great to see from our super senior. Secondly, Mady played very steady golf today and Ally, Phoebe and Venecia all played very long stretches of great golf and happened to hit a few loose shots at the worst places on the course. The golf course is unforgiving in certain spots and my teams traditionally play those areas the best in each event, so I feel somewhat disappointed in myself. Coaching golf is so different from other sports because your team isn't confined to one area. I might have a golfer literally a half a mile away at any given point. However, after the round I didn't have to say a word and each one of my players came up to me or Laura and said they wanted us to help them with one particular thing or another before we left the course. That's what champions do; they work. I expect we will show up in a big way tomorrow."
Benge opened her day on No. 7, shooting even par through the first three holes before making the turn. She began the back nine with a birdie on No. 10, before making even par on the next three holes. She repeated that sequence over the next four holes with a birdie on No. 14 and pars on No. 15, 16 and 17 before making bogey on No. 18 and turning back to the front nine. Benge finished her round with six consecutive pars on No. 1 through No. 6.
Gold began her day on No. 6 with a par, before making the turn to the back after three consecutive bogeys on No. 7, 8 and 9. Gold started on the back with a birdie on No. 10, before making par on No. 11 and registering bogeys on No. 12 and No. 13. Gold responded by shooting par on No. 14 through No. 17, before posting another birdie on No. 18 to finish even on the back nine. Gold started the front nine taking the lead on the all-time career birdies list with a birdie on No. 1, before making pars on No. 2 and No. 3 before making another birdie on No. 4 and finishing her day with a par on No. 5.
The Bulldogs return to the links for the final day of the tournament tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 28), with an 8:45 a.m. shotgun start from Rivertowne Golf Club. Live results will be available at www.uncabulldogs.com.
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The Bulldogs (+17) sit in a three-way tie with Jacksonville and Western Carolina, after putting together a team score of 300 (+12) in round two. The Bulldogs sit just one shot behind ninth-place Richmond (+16) and two shots behind eighth-place North Alabama (+15), and also just five shots behind seventh-place Lipscomb (+12) and seven shots off sixth-place Elon (+10). Kayla Benge shot 71 (-1) for the second straight day to sit in a tie for fifth, while Phoebe Carles sits in a tie for 17th after a 76 (+4) in round two. Gold improved her spot to a tie for 34th after a 73 (+1) in the second round, while Venecia Zaia turned in an 80 (+8) and Ally Kerr finished with an 86 (+14). Â
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"Today was a difficult day to describe," said head coach Ross Cash. "First of all, I'm so proud of the way Kayla has stepped up this week, it's great to see from our super senior. Secondly, Mady played very steady golf today and Ally, Phoebe and Venecia all played very long stretches of great golf and happened to hit a few loose shots at the worst places on the course. The golf course is unforgiving in certain spots and my teams traditionally play those areas the best in each event, so I feel somewhat disappointed in myself. Coaching golf is so different from other sports because your team isn't confined to one area. I might have a golfer literally a half a mile away at any given point. However, after the round I didn't have to say a word and each one of my players came up to me or Laura and said they wanted us to help them with one particular thing or another before we left the course. That's what champions do; they work. I expect we will show up in a big way tomorrow."
Benge opened her day on No. 7, shooting even par through the first three holes before making the turn. She began the back nine with a birdie on No. 10, before making even par on the next three holes. She repeated that sequence over the next four holes with a birdie on No. 14 and pars on No. 15, 16 and 17 before making bogey on No. 18 and turning back to the front nine. Benge finished her round with six consecutive pars on No. 1 through No. 6.
Gold began her day on No. 6 with a par, before making the turn to the back after three consecutive bogeys on No. 7, 8 and 9. Gold started on the back with a birdie on No. 10, before making par on No. 11 and registering bogeys on No. 12 and No. 13. Gold responded by shooting par on No. 14 through No. 17, before posting another birdie on No. 18 to finish even on the back nine. Gold started the front nine taking the lead on the all-time career birdies list with a birdie on No. 1, before making pars on No. 2 and No. 3 before making another birdie on No. 4 and finishing her day with a par on No. 5.
The Bulldogs return to the links for the final day of the tournament tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 28), with an 8:45 a.m. shotgun start from Rivertowne Golf Club. Live results will be available at www.uncabulldogs.com.
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Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
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