BRYAN, Tx — Marta Silva Zamora posted her second-straight 1-under 71 in the second round of the NCAA Women's Golf Championships on Thursday, pushing her to a tie for third on the individual leaderboard at the tournament's midway point.
LSU's Austin Ernst fired a 66 to move into the individual lead at 6-under through 36 holes. Purdue's Numa Gulyanamitta is a stroke back, followed by Silva Zamora, UCLA's Tiffany Lua and Florida's Mia Piccio at all 2-under 142.
Silva Zamora mixed four birdies with three bogeys en route to her 21st par-or-better effort in 31 rounds this season. Still, the nation's No. 1-ranked individual thought she left a couple of strokes on the course.
"I don't think I played very good to be honest with you," she said. "My putting was bad. I made a few, but I missed I think three putts inside two feet. It was not very good."
Silva Zamora played the back half of the course first on Thursday. She promptly converted a short birdie putt at No. 10 but bogeyed No. 11 and No. 13 to move to 1-under.
A birdie at No.1 followed by another at No. 5 pushed her back into red numbers; however, a three-putt at No. 7 made her even through 16 holes.
Silva Zamora birdied No. 8 and then knocked her approach within three feet at No. 9. She failed to convert the birdie and finished at 1-under.
"I'm there but I'm still making too many mistakes," Silva Zamora said. "Hopefully, I'll be there on the last day. I still have two more days to play better."
"I think she has a bad taste in her mouth because she missed some makable putts, but overall she had a very solid round," head coach Kelley Hester said. "She hit a great shot on that last hole but unfortunately didn't make the putt. I think it that one goes in she's going to feel a little bit differently about her round.
"She could just as easily have been 3 or 4 or 5 under today," Hester continued. "Still, 1-under today and 1-under yesterday puts her a very nice position."
Silva Zamora will tee off at 8:55 a.m. CT in both the third and final rounds.
NCAA Women's Golf Championship Traditions Golf Club in Bryan, Texas Par 72; 6260 Yards
Thursday's Second-Round Standings
Individual Leaderboard Austin Ernst, LSU 72-66=138 Numa Gulyanamitta, Purdue 71-70=141 Tiffany Lua, UCLA 71-71=142 Marta Silva Zamora, Georgia 71-71=142 Mia Piccio, Florida 72-70=142 Brittany Altomare, Virginia 69-75=144 Anna Leigh Keith, Vanderbilt 72-72=144 Joanne Lee, Cal 73-71=144 Callie Nielson, Virginia 71-73=144 Carlota Ciganda, Arizona State 72-73=145 Laura Gonzalez, Purdue 74-71=145 Susy Grunden, Texas A&M 74-71=145 Katerina Ruzickova, Texas A&M 73-72=145 Kelli Shean, Arkansas 75-70=145 Michelle Shin, Wake Forest 70-75=145 Glory Yang, UCLA 70-75=145
~ Georgia Sports Communications
WSBTV
