It was a 16-foot par putt on her 12th hole that got former Arkansas standout Emily Tubert's round kick-started Friday at the Symetra Tour's El Dorado Shootout at Mystic Creek Golf Club.
Starting on No. 1o, Tubert, a three-time All-American for the Razorbacks, was 1 over for her round when she saved par at the par-4 third. She then rattled off five birdies in her final six holes to finish with a 4-under 68 to lead by a shot over current money leader Madelene Sagstrom and Kathleen Ekey.
"That was definitely the turning point, that 16-footer on No. 3," said Tubert, who is looking for her first professional victory. "I gave myself a lot of good looks and got on a good roll there."
Tubert started the round with a bogey on No. 10 and then swapped two birdies with two more bogeys to make the turn at 1 over. She found the green at the par-5, 468-yard 18th after hitting driver, 6-iron before two-putting for birdie. After her par-saving putt on No. 3, she birdied Nos. 4-7, made par on 8, before finishing the round with a birdie at the par-4 9th after a 315-yard drive.
Tubert used last week's week off to work with her coach in California. She said learning a new swing coming into Mystic Creek came in handy Friday.
"Hitting a fade sets up nicely for this course," she said. "I was glad to see that work pay off."
Sagstrom, who is well on her way to earning her LPGA Tour card, also started on the back nine and was even going to the front. She birdied Nos. 1, 2 and 6 to get to 3 under but bogeyed the eighth before closing with a birdie at the ninth.
Ekey was 3 under on the front, but she had two bogeys to go with two birdies to finish even par on the back.
Julia Roth (Central Arkansas) shot a 2-over 74 and sits in a tie for 28th heading into today's second round. Megan Vaughn (Lake Village, UALR) shot a 81, while Rebecka Surtevall (Arkansas Tech) shot an 83.
A cut will be made after today's second round, with the final round set for Sunday.
Sports on 10/01/2016