SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. – Carson-Newman sophomore golfer Meridith Hawkins (Powell, Tenn.) never shot three consecutive 79s when she played the River Course at Eagles' Landing in Sevierville, Tenn. at the SAC Championships.

Evidently, a name change was all that was necessary for Hawkins to crack that mark.  The sophomore fired a 75 (+3) Monday afternoon during the opening round of the Smokey Mountain Intercollegiate.  Hawkins sits in a tie for ninth and two shots off the lead.

"She's always going to be my rock." Carson-Newman head coach Suzanne Strudwick said. "She has a chance to be a number one player this year."

West Florida has the team and individual lead.  The Argonauts' Camila Sevillano and Aimee Paterson both shot 73s to end round one even with Lee's Bernadette Little and Madison Alexander.  West Florida shot a 296 for the opening round.  The Eagles are at 321 and tied for ninth with Wingate and Columbus State.

"The weather today played a factor," Strudwick said. "It was hot and a lot of teams, ourselves included, faded late.  But we have to learn to play in this heat and humidity so that we can finish those last five holes."  

Hawkins pared 12 holes, one of 10 golfers in the field of 90 to do so.  Lauren Hodge, Mary Tunnell, Chelsea Passmore and Jessica Hart rounded out the Eagles' team score with an 80 (+8), 81 (+9), 85 (+13) and 92 (+20), respectively.

Hodge was one of 12 golfers in the field of 90 to finish under par on the course's par fives. 

Danielle Baiunco, Kelli Pemberton, Krysten Badey and Amber Hardy all competed as individuals for the Eagles.  Baiunco sits tied for 37^th with an 80, while Pemberton opened up with an 82 (+10).

Carson-Newman's individuals tee off on hole 10 at 8:09 a.m. for the final round of the tournament. The team goes off of 10 at 9:30 in the morning. 

-CN-