Oct. 6, 2009

The Florida Atlantic University women's golf team improved seven strokes during Monday's afternoon round to stand ninth after the first day of the 54-hold South Florida Waterlefe Invitational in Bradenton, Fla.

FAU is only one shot behind Sun Belt Conference foes Arkansas State University and Troy University for seventh place with a 623 team score on the 5,998-yard par 72 Waterlefe Golf Club. The Owls opened the morning round with a 315 but rebounded to shoot their lowest round of the season at 308.

Nova Southeastern University leads the 17-team tournament field with two sub-300 rounds. Campbell University is in second just three strokes behind with the host Bulls within striking distance trailing by six shots entering today's final round.

Individually, Brooke McBoyle anchored the team's scoring in the opening day sitting in 23rd place after two consistent rounds. She shot a three-over-par 75 during the second round in her first action this season. Elisabetta Bertini followed closely behind coming in one stroke higher after posting a 79 and 75 through the opening day.

Karine Bolme recorded the lowest round for FAU shooting a two-over-par 74 in the first round. Jennifer Norton and Anna Wiklund rounded out the Owls' team scoring. This is the second tournament of the year for FAU, who picked up its first tournament title since 2007 when it won the season-opening Eagles Golf Invitational in late September.

FAU will wrap up the event with 18 holes scheduled on Tuesday starting at 8:30 a.m.

Team Scores:

1) Nova Southeastern Univ. 589; 2) Campbell Univ. 592; 3) Univ. of South Florida 595; 4) Stetson Univ. 598; 5) Daytona State College 608; 6) McNeese State Univ. 616; T-7) Arkansas State and Troy 622; 9) Florida Atlantic 623; 10) Southern Mississippi 629; 11) Charleston Southern 631; 12) Univ. of South Alabama 632; 13) Florida Gulf Coast Univ. 634; 14) Univ. of Montana 642; 15) Univ. of South Florida "B" 646; 16) Univ. of Alabama-Birmingham 658; 17) Eckerd College 679.

T-23) Brooke McBoyle 78-75 153; T-25) Elisabetta Bertini 79-75 154; T-55) Karine Bolme 74-86 160; T-58) Jennifer Norton 84-77 161; T-70) Anna Wiklund 86-81 167.