University of Tennessee Athletics
Monday, September 20
Knoxville, TN | Cherokee Country Club
8:30 AM
University of Tennessee
vs
Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship
Photo by: Caleb Jones/Tennessee Athletics
Lady Vols Tied for First After Two Rounds at Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship
September 20, 2021 | Women's Golf
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After two rounds of the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Championship at Cherokee Country Club Monday, the Tennessee women's golf team is tied for first place, with six Lady Vols standing in the top 25 of the individual leaderboard.
Senior Mikayla Bardwell and sophomore Vanessa Gilly are in a tie for seventh place entering round three.
Tennessee is tied with BYU at +3 following 36 holes of play Monday.
"It's always great to host a tournament and have so many fans," Tennessee head coach Diana Cantu said. "People within the athletic department come out here and support our team. It's really nice to kind of protect our territory in some way.
"We had a really strong start. We played the first round 4-under par, which was really good. We struggled a little bit in the afternoon, but just need to get the long-day stamina going. We've only been practicing for four weeks. We just got started with the season and we've got a long way to go, but this is a good team with a strong foundation. It's just about making the little things better and more polished, then we'll be good to go."
The Lady Vols tee off round three at 9 a.m. ET Tuesday morning.
Round One Review
Four Lady Vols were in the top 13 following first-round action, with three shooting under par.
Bardwell carded a 69 (-2) in round one, marking her 26th career round of par or better.
Gilly and senior Hadley Walts each logged rounds of 1-under, 70. For Gilly, it marks her seventh career round of par or better and the 10th such round for Walts. Including Monday's first round, Walts opened her senior campaign with four consecutive rounds of par or better.
Junior Nicole Whiston started the tournament strong, making birdies on holes one and two, as well as opening the back nine with three consecutive birdies, to finish with seven birdies through the opening 18 holes. Whiston concluded round one at even par (71), to round out Tennessee first-round counting scores.
Freshman Bailey Davis birdied three times in a five-hole span on the back nine, to finish the opening round at +2 (73).
Kayla Holden, competing as an individual this week, recorded a 3-over, 74, during the event's first 18 holes.
Round Two Review
Davis and Gilly each shot 1-over, 72, in the second round. Gilly stands tied for seventh place, while Davis is in a tie for 25th entering the final 18 holes.
Bardwell carded a score of +2 (73) in Monday's second round and is currently tied for seventh.
Walts and Whiston each logged score of 74 (+3) in round two. Walts is tied for 16th, with Whiston in a tie for 25th place ahead of Tuesday's final round.
With five second-round birdies, Holden had the best second round among Lady Vols, carding an even-par round of 71. She is tied for 25th position after 36 holes.
The tournament will conclude on Tuesday, with round three set for a 9 am ET shotgun start.
Individual Scores
T7. Mikayla Bardwell, E (69, 73, 142)
T7. Vanessa Gilly, E (70, 72, 142)
T16. Hadley Walts, +2 (70, 74, 144)
T25. Nicole Whiston, +3 (71, 74, 145)
T25. Bailey Davis, +3 (73, 72, 145)
T25. Kayla Holden, +3 (74, 71, 145)
Team Scores
T1. Tennessee, +3 (571)
T1. Brigham Young, +3 (571)
T3. Texas Tech, +6 (574)
T3. Miami, +6 (574)
T3. Augusta, +6 (574)
6. Chattanooga, +10 (578)
7. UTSA, +11 (579)
8. Kent State, +12 (580)
9. Maryland, +15 (583)
T10. East Tennessee St., +17 (585)
T10. Middle Tennessee, +17 (585)
12. Virginia Tech, +19 (587)
T13. College of Charleston, +22 (590)
T13. Charlotte, +22 (590)
15. Mercer University, +26 (594)
16. Eastern Kentucky, +36 (604)
17. South Dakota State, +43 (611)
Tee Times
Tuesday, Sept. 21 – Third Round – 9:00 a.m. ET shotgun start with BYU and Texas Tech
Vanessa Gilly – 9:00 a.m. ET (Hole 1A)
Mikayla Bardwell – 9:00 a.m. ET (Hole 1B)
Nicole Whiston – 9:00 a.m. ET (Hole 2A)
Hadley Walts– 9:00 a.m. ET (Hole 2B)
Bailey Davis– 9:00 a.m. ET (Hole 3)
Kayla Holden– 9:00 a.m. ET (Hole 18)
Senior Mikayla Bardwell and sophomore Vanessa Gilly are in a tie for seventh place entering round three.
Tennessee is tied with BYU at +3 following 36 holes of play Monday.
"It's always great to host a tournament and have so many fans," Tennessee head coach Diana Cantu said. "People within the athletic department come out here and support our team. It's really nice to kind of protect our territory in some way.
"We had a really strong start. We played the first round 4-under par, which was really good. We struggled a little bit in the afternoon, but just need to get the long-day stamina going. We've only been practicing for four weeks. We just got started with the season and we've got a long way to go, but this is a good team with a strong foundation. It's just about making the little things better and more polished, then we'll be good to go."
The Lady Vols tee off round three at 9 a.m. ET Tuesday morning.
Round One Review
Four Lady Vols were in the top 13 following first-round action, with three shooting under par.
Bardwell carded a 69 (-2) in round one, marking her 26th career round of par or better.
Gilly and senior Hadley Walts each logged rounds of 1-under, 70. For Gilly, it marks her seventh career round of par or better and the 10th such round for Walts. Including Monday's first round, Walts opened her senior campaign with four consecutive rounds of par or better.
Junior Nicole Whiston started the tournament strong, making birdies on holes one and two, as well as opening the back nine with three consecutive birdies, to finish with seven birdies through the opening 18 holes. Whiston concluded round one at even par (71), to round out Tennessee first-round counting scores.
Freshman Bailey Davis birdied three times in a five-hole span on the back nine, to finish the opening round at +2 (73).
Kayla Holden, competing as an individual this week, recorded a 3-over, 74, during the event's first 18 holes.
Round Two Review
Davis and Gilly each shot 1-over, 72, in the second round. Gilly stands tied for seventh place, while Davis is in a tie for 25th entering the final 18 holes.
Bardwell carded a score of +2 (73) in Monday's second round and is currently tied for seventh.
Walts and Whiston each logged score of 74 (+3) in round two. Walts is tied for 16th, with Whiston in a tie for 25th place ahead of Tuesday's final round.
With five second-round birdies, Holden had the best second round among Lady Vols, carding an even-par round of 71. She is tied for 25th position after 36 holes.
The tournament will conclude on Tuesday, with round three set for a 9 am ET shotgun start.
Individual Scores
T7. Mikayla Bardwell, E (69, 73, 142)
T7. Vanessa Gilly, E (70, 72, 142)
T16. Hadley Walts, +2 (70, 74, 144)
T25. Nicole Whiston, +3 (71, 74, 145)
T25. Bailey Davis, +3 (73, 72, 145)
T25. Kayla Holden, +3 (74, 71, 145)
Team Scores
T1. Tennessee, +3 (571)
T1. Brigham Young, +3 (571)
T3. Texas Tech, +6 (574)
T3. Miami, +6 (574)
T3. Augusta, +6 (574)
6. Chattanooga, +10 (578)
7. UTSA, +11 (579)
8. Kent State, +12 (580)
9. Maryland, +15 (583)
T10. East Tennessee St., +17 (585)
T10. Middle Tennessee, +17 (585)
12. Virginia Tech, +19 (587)
T13. College of Charleston, +22 (590)
T13. Charlotte, +22 (590)
15. Mercer University, +26 (594)
16. Eastern Kentucky, +36 (604)
17. South Dakota State, +43 (611)
Tee Times
Tuesday, Sept. 21 – Third Round – 9:00 a.m. ET shotgun start with BYU and Texas Tech
Vanessa Gilly – 9:00 a.m. ET (Hole 1A)
Mikayla Bardwell – 9:00 a.m. ET (Hole 1B)
Nicole Whiston – 9:00 a.m. ET (Hole 2A)
Hadley Walts– 9:00 a.m. ET (Hole 2B)
Bailey Davis– 9:00 a.m. ET (Hole 3)
Kayla Holden– 9:00 a.m. ET (Hole 18)
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
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