ACC Championship Page | Team Results | Individual Results | Tee Times | Sunday on ACC Network Extra at 2 p.m.
GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Duke took the early lead in its bid to capture a second straight Atlantic Coast Conference Women’s Golf Championship trophy on Saturday at Grandover Resort & Conference Center’s East Course.
Led by individual leader Leona Maguire’s ACC women’s course record for Grandover 5-under par round of 67, Duke closed the day with an ACC women’s team course record 6-under 282. Clemson followed four shots back at 286. Florida State (291), Miami (296) and Wake Forest (297) round out the top five.
“I didn’t get back to see (Leona Maguire) very much,” said Duke head coach Dan Brooks. “A lot of times when Leona is doing well, I am up with other players that maybe are trying to get under par, so I didn’t see a lot of her golf. I saw her last three holes coming in. She’s solid as a rock. The thing is, when she misses it a little bit, she almost always manages at least a par. Very impressive.”
The Blue Devils seek their 21st ACC title and their 20th under Brooks. Miami, Florida State and Clemson each look to acquire their first ACC team title, while Wake Forest seeks to win for the sixth time and the first since 2010.
Virginia Tech and Notre Dame tied for sixth place following Thursday’s opening round at 12-over par (300). Virginia sits in eighth place at 13-over (301). Louisville (302), NC State (303), North Carolina (306) and Boston College (313) rounded out the team scoring.
Maguire, a two-time ACC medalist, carded 67 for the first-round lead. Her 5-under score bested the mark of 69 set by Florida State’s Amy Spooner in 1999. Maguire bogeyed only one hole and had six birdies – including the par-5 18th hole – en route to her stellar round.
Clemson’s Sydney Legacy sits in second place with an opening round of 69. Maguire’s teammate Ana Belac, Miami’s Dewi Weber and Clemson’s Alice Hewson all recorded first-round scores of 70. Duke’s Jaravee Boonchant and Florida State’s Kim Metraux posted 1-under rounds of 71, and four other golfers tied for eighth at 72.
Leona Maguire was joined by Belac (70), Boonchant (71) and her sister Lisa Maguire (74) in posting Duke’s first-day leading score.
The ACC Women’s Golf Championship at the Grandover Resort East Course in Greensboro, North Carolina, will also feature coverage of the second round from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, April 22, followed by championship round coverage from 1-3:30 p.m. on Monday, April 23. ACC Network Extra veteran Dean Linke will work the play-by-play, and former University of North Carolina and LPGA standout Donna Andrews will provide color commentary. The events streamed on ACC Network Extra are available via the ESPN app to authenticated subscribers.