Michigan State Nabs First-Round Lead at Women's Golf Championships - BIG TEN CONFERENCE Official Athletic Site

Michigan State Nabs First-Round Lead at Women's Golf Championships

The Spartans fire a 12-over-300 for first place

	Michigan State's Rachel Meikle takes the lead after firing a 1-under 71 in Friday's first round.

April 27, 2007

Championship Headquarters

Team Results - Round One

Individual Result-Round One

EAST LANSING, Mich. - Under cloudy skies and with temperatures reaching only the mid-40's, the opening round of the 2007 Big Ten Women's Golf Championships got underway Friday at the Forest Akers West Golf Course (par-72; 6,316 yards) in East Lansing, Mich.

Taking advantage of playing on its home course, Michigan State fired off a first-round 12-over-par 300 to claim a nine-stroke lead over defending Big Ten Champion Purdue. The Boilermakers shot a 21-over 309, while Indiana followed in third place with a 311. Closing out the top five, Northwestern and Ohio State are tied for fourth place at 313.

Rounding out the 11-team field is Wisconsin (317), Iowa (319), Michigan (319), Illinois (320), Minnesota (322) and Penn State (327).

The Spartans' Rachel Meikle tallied a 1-under 71 to take a first-round lead for individual honors. She also tied her season-best round as she posted a 71 in the second round of the Lady Gator Invitational (March 10-11, 2007). The senior opened today's play with three straight pars and then birdied holes 4 and 9. Meikle only notched one bogey at the eighth hole before remaining perfect on the back nine.

Purdue's Christel Boeljon is just one stroke back of Meikle after notching an even-par 72 while Michigan State's Mandi McConnell and Ohio State's Dana Je are tied for third at 2-over 74.

After Thursday's practice rounds were hampered with rain storms, leaving the course saturated with nearly two inches of rain, conditions were anything but perfect. However, the rain held off Friday with only a slight drizzle and blustery winds occurring during first-round action.