MAINEVILLE, Ohio – The Penn State women's golf team currently sits in 11th place after Friday's opening round of the 2019 Big Ten Championship at TPC River's Bend. The Nittany Lions shot 19-over for a first round score of 307.
Illinois leads the tournament after day one with a 3-over score of 290 while Ohio State (6-over), Indiana (6-over), Michigan State (9-over) and Purdue (9-over) round out the top five.
Penn State was led by freshman Sarah Willis (Eaton, Ohio) who currently sits tied for seventh after her 1-over round of 73. Willis went out in 2-over, 38, before rallying on the back-nine with back-to-back birdies following the turn and three total to card a 1-under, 35, accounting for her round total.
Junior Megan McLean (Lebanon, N.J.) continued her stellar play the last few months shooting 4-over, 76, to sit in a tie for 33rd after going out and coming in at 2-over, 38, on each side. Classmate Maddy Herr (New Hope, Pa.) and senior Jackie Rogowicz (Yardley, Pa.) both shot 7-over, 79, on the first day to round out the four team scores in the opening round.
Herr bounced back after a 6-over front nine securing one birdie and a pair of bogeys to go along with six pars on the back-nine for a 1-over, 37. Rogowicz had a very consistent day somewhat spoiled by a late triple-bogey on the 17th en route to her final score.
Senior classmates Cara Basso (Dowingtown, Pa.) and Lauren Waller (Canonsburg, Pa.) didn't factor into the team total after the first day with scores of 81 (9-over) and 83 (11-over).
Penn State's first-round score of 307 is its highest single-round total this season, however, the Nittany Lions season average in the first round of a tournament is four and six strokes higher than their average in rounds two and three, respectively.
PSU will look to bounce back once again tomorrow morning for round 2 with tee times beginning at 8:30 a.m.