Southern Cal leads Cougar Classic, Florida ahead at Kiawah

HANAHAN ­— Southern Cal, which finished second in last year’s NCAA women’s college golf championship, posted a 3-under-par 285 Sunday to take a one-shot lead over Duke, Virginia and Florida in the 10th annual Cougar Classic being played at Yeamans Hall Club.

Defending national champion Alabama was tied for seventh four shots behind the Trojans.

Florida’s Isabelle Lendl and Auburn’s Marta Sanz are tied for first individually with 5-under 67s.

Charleston Southern, led by Vanessa Jay’s even-par 72, was tied for 15th place at 299. The College of Charleston was tied for 18th at 300, led by Stacey Tomlinson’s 73. Furman is tied for 21st at 303 while South Carolina is 23rd at 306.

The tournament, which is open to the public, continues through Tuesday. The 24-team field has eight of the top 10 teams from last season’s final rankings.

TEAM STANDINGS

Southern Cal, 285; Duke 286; Virginia, 286; Florida, 286; Georgia, 287; Auburn, 288; Alabama, 289; Vanderbilt, 289; N.C. State, 290; Wisconsin, 292; Penn State, 293; Central Florida, 294; Tennessee, 296; Wake Forest, 297; Mississippi, 299; Charleston Southern, 299; North Carolina, 299; Miami, 300; College of Charleston, 300; UNC Greensboro, 300; Furman, 303; LSU, 303; South Carolina, 306; Maryland, 309.

Cougars men third
KIAWAH ISLAND — The College of Charleston men’s golf team is in third place, 10 shots behind leader Florida, after Sunday’s opening round of The Invitational at Kiawah tournament being played at the Ocean Course.

The Gators are at 1-over-par 289 after the first round of the 54-hole tournament, four strokes in front of second-place Houston. Houston’s Curtis Reed leads the individual standings with a 1-under-par 71, while Florida’s Santiago Gavino, Tyler McCumber and J.D. Tomlinson are tied for second at 72.

Zach Munroe led the Cougars with a 2-over 74, tied for 14th, while teammates Alex Ellis, Neil Gowan and Daniel Kim are posted 75s.

TEAM STANDINGS

Florida, 289; Houston, 293; College of Charleston, 299; Alabama-Birmingham, 302; South Florida, 303; Davidson, 306; Georgia Southern, 307; Stephen F. Austin, 307; USC-Aiken, 307; Texas State, 308; Texas-Arlington, 310; Akron, 312; St. John’s, 317; Mercer, 319; USC Upstate, 325.