Cheong Provides Low Round on First Day at FAU

Sunday, February 17

Boca Raton, Fla. (Osprey Point GC)

All Day

Dartmouth College

First Day FAU

Sophomore Moon Cheong

Photo by: Bryan LaFountaine

Cheong Provides Low Round on First Day at FAU

2/17/2019 7:01:00 PM | Women's Golf

First Round Results

Sophomore Moon Cheong shot a 1-over 72 to help the Big Green end the day in fifth

By: Rick Bender

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Sophomore Moon Cheong shot a 1-over 73 over the first round of the FAU Winter Warmup on Sunday afternoon to help the Dartmouth women's golf team end the day in fifth in the seven-team field. Her effort left her in sixth place, six strokes behind Mariah Smith of 37th-ranked Tennessee, which finished the round with a 27-stroke lead with a 12-under 276.

Cheong, who won this event a year ago as a rookie at the par-72, 6,062-yard Osprey Point Golf Club, made it to the turn at even par with birdies on the seventh and ninth holes, then on the back nine made par on all but one of the holes to wrap up her round with her 73.

After missing the fall slate, junior Maddie Nelson shook off the rust to shoot a 6-over 78, sinking a pair of birdies along the way on the par-5 sixth and par-4 15th, and is tied for 17th among the 45 competitors. Senior co-captain Catharine Roddy also had two birdies back-to-back, then finished her day with three straight pars as she concluded the round with an 8-over 80 to tie for 23rd.

The two Big Green freshmen, Kristen Chen and Kaitlyn Lees, had recorded the lowest stroke averages in the fall, but struggled out of the gate with an 81 (+9) and an 85 (+13) to complete the round.

Smith put together a near-flawless round with five birdies and nary a bogey to take a two-stroke lead over teammate Michaela Williams, who sank the only eagle of the day. Tied for third were two more Volunteer golfers, Waverly Whiston and Ariana Macioce, three strokes off the pace.

The tournament will conclude with the second and final round teeing off in the morning.