STOCKBRIDGE, Ga. - The FGCU women's golf team shot a second round 306, improving its first round score by 16 strokes and moving up to 10th place in the John Kirk Panther Intercollegiate entering Tuesday's final round.

"Today we played much better, although I think we left a few shots out there," FGCU head coach Sarah Trew said. "It was cold again, and I still think we are having trouble with the punched greens, but I think we are getting used to the conditions. We are looking to have a good day tomorrow and hopefully move up the leaderboard."

Four of the team's five golfers improved their score from the first round, led by Ailsa Clark, who lowered her tally by 12 strokes. Her 76 (+4) was second best in the round among the Green and Blue.

Kate Williamson, meanwhile, shot a team-low 73 (+1), which was nine strokes better than Sunday. Her two-round total of 155 (+11) is best among the team and has her tied for 22nd overall. Despite picking up a double bogey on the third hole, she produced a team-high four birdies on the fourth, sixth, ninth and 14th holes to secure her score. After starting +2 on the back nine, she went 1-under on the front to close the day strong. 

"I am proud of Kate for her round today," Trew said. "She hung in there after making a double and finished her last six holes 3-under."

Natalia Nassar and Madeline Marck-Sherk cut three and two strokes off their first round totals, respectively. Nassar (Floridablanca, Colombia/Colegio Panamericano), who birdied the sixth hole, fired a second round 77 (+5) and sits tied for 33rd overall with a 157 (+13). Marck-Sherk's 80 (+8) has her at 162 (+18) and in a tie for 56th place.

Kelsy Holbert (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner HS) recorded one of the team's six birdies, along with Williamson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy HS) and Nassar. Following her second round 81 (+9), she sits in a tie for 44th place with a 159 (+15).

Three golfers - Clark (Navarre, Fla./Navarre HS), Marck-Sherk (Ridgeway, Ontario/Ridgeway Crystal Beach HS) and Nassar - finished just 1-over on the front nine to close the day. In fact, FGCU shot +6 on the front nine in comparison to a +21 on the opening nine. As a team, the Eagles tied for the sixth-best second round score (306) with Tulsa and James Madison.

The Eagles will compete in the final round of the John Kirk Panther Intercollegiate on Tuesday. It is the second to last tournament of the regular season before the ASUN tournament.

FOLLOW LIVE
Live 3-hole scoring of Tuesday's final round is available at GolfStat.com. The link to the tournament page can be found here.

Team Standings
1. #91 Jacksonville - 299-295---594 (+18)
2. #88 Murray State - 302-296---598 (+22)
3. #108 South Alabama - 304-304---608 (+32)
4. #122 Eastern Kentucky - 317-298---615 (+39)
T-5. #155 Georgia State - 309-307---616 (+40)
T-5. #151 Tulsa - 310-306---616 (+40)
7. #105 Western Kentucky - 317-300---617 (+41)
8. #167 Elon - 309-311----620 (+44)
9. #128 Winthrop - 315-309---624 (+48)
10. #120 FGCU - 322-306---628 (+52)
11. #198 Samford - 315-319---634 (+58)
12. #133 James Madison - 329-306---635 (+59)
13. #212 Morehead State - 328-314---642 (+66)
14. #174 UAB - 324-320---644 (+68)
T-15. #201 Appalachian State - 317-328---645 (+69)
T-15. #172 Western Michigan - 333-312---645 (+69)
17. #219 Central Michigan - 340-342---682 (+106)

Individual Standings
T-22. Kate Williamson (Deerfield Beach, Fla./Archbishop McCarthy HS) - 82-73---155 (+11)
T-33. Natalia Nassar (Floridablanca, Colombia/Colegio Panamericano) - 80-77---157 (+13)
T-44. Kelsy Holbert (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner HS) - 78-81---159 (+15)
T-56. Madeline Marck-Sherk (Ridgeway, Ontario/Ridgeway Crystal Beach HS) - 82-80---162 (+18)
T-63. Ailsa Clark (Navarre, Fla./Navarre HS) - 88-76---164 (+20)

JOHN KIRK
The John Kirk Panther Intercollegiate was first played in 1993 at Northwood Country Club. The tournament was founded by then Georgia State golf coach Kevin Propst and assistant Kirk McQueen with extensive help and support from Northwood Country Club club pro John Kirk. When Kirk passed away after a battle with cancer, his name was added to the Panther Intercollegiate to honor his assistance and commitment to the Georgia State women's golf program. The event moved to Eagle's Landing after one year at Chateau Elan Golf Club in 2000.

COACH TREW
Head coach Sarah Trew is in her 7th season at the helm of the FGCU women's golf team. She took over in 2011 and has since guided the Eagles to the program's best-ever finish in the ASUN Tournament and 29 top-5 finishes. The 2013-14 squad set a new single-season scoring record with a team average of 307.88, while also setting a new benchmark academically. The spring of 2015 saw the Eagles again take third place at the ASUN Championship, and recording their best team score of the season while 2016 again set a new standard. In 2015-16, Trew earned her first ASUN Coach of the Year title after the squad recorded a new program best with a 305.29 average and took second-place at the conference tournament – the program's best finish in the event. In the second round of that tournament, the Eagles carded a team score of 290 to set a low-round program record. The 2016-17 Eagles repeated that success with another second-place finish in the ASUN Championship and for the third time since Trew took over, set a new record with a 302.30 stroke average on the season.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
For up-to-the minute information and a behind-the-scenes look at the FGCU women's golf program, follow on Twitter at @FGCU_WGolf and on Facebook at /FGCUWGolf.

SUPPORT THE CAUSE 
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help.