"I couldn't be prouder of both Stacey and Lindy," said Duke Head Coach Dan Brooks. "This golf course is really good. It is a Pete Dye Course so it is very challenging. Pete Dye doesn't build slouches and it is playing at 6,300 yards so it is a long golf course. So those two freshmen really played some great golf today."
Duncan, who is a product of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., turned a 71 on day one and is tied for fifth overall, which is only three shots off the individual lead. Arizona State's Carlota Ciganda (68) and Alabama's Camilla Lennarth's (68) are tied for the lead, while Cydney Clanton of Auburn and Cheyenne Woods of Wake Forest are tied for third with a 70.
Continuing her solid play in the fall, Duncan posted four birdies and three bogeys to go along with 11 pars on day one. Three of those four birdies came in a span of six holes on the back nine on No. 1, No. 3 and No. 6 holes. Duncan registered 16 greens in regulations, while hitting 12 fairways and notching 32 putts on the day.
A native of Columbus, Ga., Kim has shown flashes of greatness in the fall so far and currently stands in tied for ninth after totaling a 72. Over the first nine holes, Kim notched two birdies, two bogeys and five pars as she made the turn at even. She closed with seven pars, one birdie and one bogey. Kim's birdies were on the fourth, 15th and 18 holes. For the day, Kim hit 12 fairways, 12 greens and had 32 putts.
As a team, Duke sits in fourth place and only eight shots off leader Southern California (288). The Blue Devils posted an eight-over-par, 296, while UCLA (293) and Arizona State (293) are tied for second. Rounding out the top 10 were Alabama (298), Auburn (299), Virginia (300), Denver (301), Michigan State (301) and Purdue (302).
"The team knows they can do better," said Brooks. "Kim Donovan is hitting it so well and it is just a matter of letting it in now. She has really developed her swing over the last couple of years and is using it on the golf course now in a tournament. She just needs to get the putts dropping and when they do it is going to be fantastic. It is easy to get five-over on a golf course like this. Despite the fact that we have three people who are four or five-over-par, we are only eight back from the lead and that is because we are on a tough course."
Junior Kim Donovan parred the first eight holes before suffering a bogey on No. 18 and made the turn at one-over-par. On her final nine, she opened with a bogey, par, double-bogey and bogey to move to five-over. Donovan, who is from Hopkinton, Mass., settled down to register a birdie on the 361-yard, par four fifth hole and parred the final five holes to close with a 76, which is tied for 44th.
Coming off a fourth place finish at the Tar Heel Invitational in the last tournament, freshman Courtney Ellenbogen had a 77 on Friday and is tied for 50th. She managed only one birdie on the 18th, but closed the day playing the final 10 holes at only two-over-par.
Senior Allison Whitaker totaled a tied for a team-best four birdies on day one but struggled making seven bogeys and one double-bogey to finish with a 77.
As a team, Duke notched 13 birdies on the challenging Landfall course. The Blue Devils will tee off on Saturday beginning at 9:15 a.m., along with Alabama and Auburn on hole No. 1.
Live scoring will be available all three days at www.golfstat.com.
Duke Results
T5 - Lindy Duncan (10) Duke -1 F -1 71
T9 - Stacey Kim (10) Duke E F E 72
T44 - Kim Donovan (10) Duke +4 F +4 76
T50 - Courtney Ellenbogen (10) Duke +5 F +5 77
T50 - Alison Whitaker (10) Duke +5 F +5 77
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