Commodores have a great front nine

By A. Boggs

After a slow start, the Commodores have emerged as an early-morning leader at the NCAA Championships in Wilmington. Vanderbilt is in the lead at two-under par as the team's final player, Marina Alex, approaches the turn at the Country Club of Landfall.

After starting the tournament's first two holes at three-over par, the jitters quickly disappeared and Vanderbilt shot to the top of the leaderboard. Senior Brooke Goodwin chipped in from 75 yards out on number six, a par-five, 510-yard monster, for eagle, junior Megan Grehan had three birdies on the front nine, and Alex has two birdies so far through eight. I followed Marina for the first seven holes, and she capped her sixth and seventh holes with birdies after two clutch par saves at four and five.

Freshman Anna Leigh Keith is even through nine, and fellow freshman Lauren Stratton finished her front nine at four-over par.

Stay tuned to the blog for more updates as they happen here in Wilmington. Hopefully the good news continues and the rain stays away. Click to Follow Live Scoring