Without Hammond lady golfers stumble

Injury struck the Penn State women's golf team this past weekend at the Bryan National Collegiate Invitational in Greensboro, N.C., causing senior Laura Hammond to withdraw after the second round.

Hammond, who shot a 74 the first round and an 84 the second round, re-aggravated tendinitis in her wrist while hitting a bunker shot the second day of competition. She was unable to compete Sunday due to the injury.

"Hopefully, something like that you can rest a week and she'll be better," Lady Lion coach Denise St. Pierre said. "With her out, we had our backs against the wall."

Without Hammond, the Lions ended up 14th out of the 15-team field. Duke won the invitational with a team score of 894. Georgia's Reilley Rankin, who shot a three-day total of 217, was the individual winner.

- Lady Lion coach Denise St. Pierre

"She really had a much better tournament than what her scores indicate," St. Pierre said.

Turton recovered on the second day, shooting a 76. The final day she shot an 80.

Senior Emily Marron and sophomore Lisa Francisco both finished tied for 63rd with three-day shot totals of 247.

"Considering what this team is capable of, we're disappointed," St. Pierre said of the team's performance this weekend.

Marron concurred with St. Pierre's assessment of the team and its performance, including her own.

"We've lowered our standards (from the fall)," Marron said. "We're patting each other on the back with an 80, and we can't have that."

Marron said in the fall a 78 was considered a bad score. Marron also credited the weather in State College for some of the high scores so far this spring.

The Lions will compete next on April 25-26 at the Lady Buckeye in Columbus, Ohio.