HOMER, Ga. – Methodist University women's golf team propelled up three spots on the leaderboard, ultimately concluding in third from a team score of 326-312-638 (+62) on day one of the Chimney Oaks Women's Invitational, hosted by Piedmont University at Chimney Oaks Golf Club on Monday afternoon.

THE ESSENTIALS
Event: Chimney Oaks Women's Invitational
Location: Chimney Oaks Golf Club (Par 72 – 5,641); Homer, Ga.
Top teams: 1 – (RV) Huntingdon College (296-300-596, +20), Batten University (316-315-631, +55), Methodist University (326-312-638, +62)
Top individuals: 1 – Yvette Gorden, (RV) Huntingdon College (71-74-145, +1), 2 – Grace Saunders, University of Lynchburg (73-73-146, +2), 3 – Mary Charles Davis, (RV) Huntingdon College (73-74-147, +3)

OPENING ROUND

• Junior Cloe Rich started off round one rocky, acquiring a double-bogey and a triple bogey in the closing holes of the front nine to eventually fire an 80 (+8). Round two would mark out for Rich as a significant boost for Methodist, recording a season-best 18-hole score of 73 (+1) with three birdies, two being on the back nine, tallying an 80-73-153 (+9), ranking in T-7th place individually.
• Bogeys would fester junior Kiley Donovan's chances at totaling a low number in the opening stanza, collecting 11 bogeys and seven pars in Donovan's morning showing to log an 83 (+11) for the Monarchs. Donovan would improve by five strokes in round two, landing a birdie on the par-5 sixth, marking out with a 78 (+6) in the afternoon round to tally an 83-78-161 (+17) for T-14th position.
• Sophomore Julia Hashem showed consistency in her opening two scores of the tournament. Hashem would fire an 81 (+9) from her morning outing, matching a career-low 18-hole score that included a birdie on the par-4 seventh. Hashem dropped one stroke in the closing stanza to collect a career-best round of 80 (+8) on the par-three third, placing T-14th with a total individual score of 81-80-161 (+17).
• Senior Anna Wicklum was the final Monarchs player to count for Methodist's team score in both rounds. Wicklum opened her morning outing with an 82 (+10) with a birdie on the par-4 tenth, improving in round two with three birdies for an 81 (+9) for an individual tally of 82-81-163 (+19), placing in T-18th through two rounds.
• Junior Paige Wilkinson did not contribute to Methodist's team total, faltering early in round one for a 91 (+19), before improving in round two by seven shots for an 84 (+12), collecting a score of 91-84-175 (+31), ranking out in 31st overall.
• Freshman Kenley Baker is competing as an individual for the Monarchs, struggling to find her footing during the morning stanza for an 88 (+16), before dropping ten strokes for a collegiate-career best of 78 (+6) with two birdies on the par-4 tenth and the par-5 thirteenth. Baker would tabulate an 88-78-166 (+22) for 24th position on the leaderboard.

 
UP NEXT
The closing 18 holes of the Chimney Oaks Women's Invitational will get under way tomorrow morning for the Monarchs at 9:20 AM, on Tuesday, October 5th, at Chimney Oaks Golf Club in Homer, Ga.