DIAZ AMONG LEADERS AS LIONS SIT NINTH AT WORLD GOLF INVITATIONAL

Sara Diaz

2013 World Golf Invitational · Round One
Location: Slammer and Squires Golf Club · St. Augustine, Fla.
Result: A&M-Commerce sits ninth out of 14 teams (40-over 328)
Top Performer: Sara Diaz is tied for 12th individually (5-over 77)
Final Round: Monday, February 11 · 6:45 a.m. CT

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A&M-Commerce's women's golf team returned to the links for the first time in 2013, opening up the spring portion of their schedule with a ninth-place showing through the first 18 holes of the 2013 World Golf Invitational. The Lions posted a 40-over 328, sitting firmly in ninth place heading into Tuesday's final round.

The Lions were led by junior Sara Diaz, who shot a 5-over 77 and is in a three-way tie for 12th among the individual leaderboard. Diaz remains within striking distance of a top-10 finish, sitting one shot out of 10th, two out of eighth and three out of fourth.

Juniors Holly Jenkins and Chantry McMahan each posted an 11-over 83 through the opening 18 holes, sitting tied for 37th. The duo leads fellow junior Chelsea McCoy by two shots (13-over 85) while Haley Green (15-over 87) is four shots back of the pair.

A&M-Commerce enters Tuesday's final round holding a 10-shot lead over Tampa (50-over 338) and is 12 shots better than 11th-place Converse (52-over 340). The Lions will have their work cut out for them if they want to move up the leaderboard, trailing eighth-place Queens of Charlotte (35-over 323) by five strokes while sitting seven back of seventh-place USC Beaufort (33-over 321) and 10 back of LSC rival Cameron (30-over 318).

Seminole State (Fla.) holds the lead after the opening two rounds, carding an 8-over 296 and being led by Chanya Angwarawong's 2-under 70. Flagler (16-over 304) is eight strokes back while Armstrong and UNC-Pembroke (22-over 310) are tied for third, five shots ahead of fifth-place Mount Olive (27-over 315).

Monday's final round gets underway at 6:45 a.m. CT as the Lions will be among the first threesome teeing off from hole one, paired up with USC Beaufort and Queens of Charlotte. Green will be the first Lion to tee off on the day, working backward to Diaz's tee time at 7:19 a.m. Full results will be posted on LionAthletics.com as they become available.

2013 World Golf Invitational Round One Results