Coker Women Climb Leaderboard to 8th Place

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC -- A trio of Cobras carded solid rounds Tuesday as the Coker women's golf team moved from 13th to 8th in the 18-team field at the Battle of Hilton Head.

Freshman Gisele Morna (Portugal) fired at 3-over par 75 on the Robert Trent Jones Course at Palmetto Dunes, while sophomore Daniella Gyoni (Sweden) and senior Mack Taylor Bailey (Castaic, CA) shot a pair of 76s as Coker finished the round at 312 (24-over par) for its low four individuals. Junior Haylie George (Pittsboro, NC), after a rough start that included two triple bogeys, played her last seven holes at 1-over to count with an 85. Junior Kelly Campman (Myrtle Beach, SC) finished at 86.

Playing as an individual, freshman Felicia Sundgren (Sweden) shot an 83.

"We really struggled in the wind during Monday's round," Coker head coach John Hackney said, "but I challenged our ladies to show some grit and not let a few poor shots, or a bad hole, keep them from playing well. They responded in a big way today, improving by 17 shots and climbing five spots on the leaderboard."

The Cobras, who notched seven birdies on Tuesday, outplayed some highly-ranked teams and had the sixth-best round of the day.

"With five holes left, we were tied for 10th, but five teams were separated by one shot," Hackney said. "We played the rest of the round at 5-over to move ahead of all those teams, so that was our ladies rising to the occasion on a tough course."

Morna, who was battling a back injury, rolled in three birdies and Gyoni had two. Bailey finished 18th of 96 players at 79-76--155 (+11), Gyoni was 32nd at 83-76--159 and Morna was 38th at 86-75--161. Campman placed 59th at  81-86--167 and George wound up 76th at 86-85--171. Sundgren made a big leap from a Monday 92 to a Tuesday 83 for 175.

The Cobras will see action again next Monday and Tuesday in the Low Tide Intercollegiate at Dunes West Golf Club in Charleston, S.C.