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at Scrimmage at Beacon Ridge
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at Stitch Golf Sandhills Flyers Fall Invitational
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at Stitch Golf Sandhills Flyers Fall Invitational
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at Jack Ingram Pfeiffer Women's Spring Invitational
Posted: Sep 20, 2021

Ava Ray: "I looked and there it was"

Ava Ray: "I looked and there it was"

A brief period of uncertainty for several members of the Sandhills Community College women's golf team turned into a moment of glee on Sunday during a practice round for the Battle for Royalty Tournament at Southern Pines Country Club.

Monday's opening round of the 36-hole event hosted by Queens University of Charlotte ended with Lincoln Memorial of Harrogate, TN leading Queens and Wingate University by four strokes.

Far behind in the pack, the Lady Flyers were led by Scotty Foley with a round of 85 and Ava Ray with an 88. With one member of the squad out with an illness, and another injured, Coach Herb Pike's squad finished in 14th place in the field that includes 12 NCAA Division II squads and one NAIA.

Play is scheduled to resume on the recently renovated and reopened Donald Ross designed course at 8 a.m. on Tuesday from the first and 10th tees.

On Sunday, both Ray and teammate Aubrianna Bishop hit tee shots on the 161-yard par three 14th hole that appeared to land on the putting surface.

"I hit a six iron and we didn't see it land," Ray said. "One of my teammates hit a good one too."

In a cart, Pike was the first one to reach the green.

"I knew they were both close," the coach said. "I rode up and saw only one ball on the green. When Ava got there, she said 'where is the other ball' and I said 'it must be in the hole'.

Said Ray, "I looked and there it was."

Bishop added to the elation by sinking her four-foot putt for a birdie.

During Monday's official round from a shot-gun start, Ray reached the 14th hole at about the halfway mark and birdied it this time. She also made a birdie on 15.

"I got off to a rough start," the Fuquay Varina High School grad said. "It was kind of like a sandwich today, bad, good and then bad. I'll take it though. I guess there is always room to improve."

Foley, who began her college career with rounds of 80-76-156 at last weeks Flyers Invitational had a similar kind of day. She found the undulating and quick new greens challenging. 

Still, during the middle part of her round, she made six pars in a row.

"I've been going through some technique changes so you kind of have to go out there and play with what you've got," she said. "The good thing was that I turned it around.

"We were hit with some challenges today, but I'm happy I finished where I did."

C. Bergmann