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Woods leads at Landfall Tradition

posted by Kevin Hull - email

WILMINGTON, NC (UNCW Sports Release) - New leaders found their way to the top of leaderboard at The Landfall Tradition Saturday as top-ranked UCLA grabbed control of the team competition and Wake Forest sophomore Cheyenne Woods moved to the front of the individual standings following second-round action of the 8^th annual women's golf event at the Country Club of Landfall.

The Bruins, tied for second after Friday's opening round, erased a five-stroke deficit to build an eight-stroke margin heading into Sunday's finale. UCLA survived a cornucopia of weather conditions on the pristine Pete Dye Course to shoot a 2-over-par 290 in the second round to go with Friday's 293 total for a two-day score of 583.

In a day that featured early sunshine, blowing winds and then, finally, a 40-minute rain delay, UCLA tamed the rolling Par 72, 6,325-yard layout to gain separation from the rest of the pack. Wake Forest carded the day's best score, a 1-under par 287, and stands second with a 591 total.

First-round leader Southern Cal fell 14 strokes off the pace after struggling with a 21-over 329 on Saturday.

The Demon Deacons are followed in the standings by Arizona State (293-299=592), Duke (296-297=593), Purdue (302-291=593), Auburn (299-295=594), Virginia (300-296=596), Southern Cal (288-309=597), Denver (301-297=598), LSU (307-298=605), Pepperdine (303-303=606), Michigan State (301-305=606), Georgia (305-301=606), Oklahoma State (305-301=606), Alabama (298-310=608), UNC Chapel Hill (308-303=611), New Mexico (302-312=615) and UNC Wilmington (317-303=620).

Woods, niece of PGA phenom Tiger Woods, fashioned a 3-under 69 Saturday for a two-round 70-69=139 card. She owns a one shot lead over Auburn's Cydney Clanton (70-70=140) and a three stroke advantage over opening-round leader Carlota Ciganda of Arizona State. Auburn's Candace Schepperle joined Woods with the only other sub-par round of the day and rests in fourth place at 75-68=143.

The host Seahawks hold down 18^th place at 317-303=620. Sophomore Sofia Hagsund is tied for 15th with a 73-72=145 score, while senior Carmen Perez-Narbon is tied for 26^th at 74-74-148, senior Ashley Tait sits 79th at 82-79=161, junior Cristina Manrique is 84th at 88-78=166 and sophomore Alei Mitchell is tied for 85th at 88-81=169.

Final-round action in the 54-hole, 18-team event concludes Saturday, beginning at 8:30 a.m.