FORT MYERS, Fla., April 14, 2016 - Former college All-Americans Ally McDonald (Mississippi State) and Sophia Popov (University of Southern California) both carded 5-under 67’s to share the first-round lead at the Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial on Thursday. McDonald and Popov are both in the top 20 on the Volvik Race for the Card money list early in the year.
McDonald made six birdies against just one bogey.
“I struck the ball really well, especially early on when I was able to birdie the first hole and that jump starts the round,” said 23-year-old McDonald. “I was playing with Madelene Sagstrom, who is a really consistent player, and we played a lot of college golf together so we were feeding off each other.”
McDonald capped her day with a birdie on the 18th hole.
“The shot in was a little further right than I wanted, but I was able to make an 8-footer for birdie,” explained McDonald, who finished second in her Tour debut last year at the Murphy USA El Dorado Shootout. “It’s a great way to end and hopefully I can continue the momentum.”
McDonald is pleased with her fast start this week after a slow start in Lake Wales last week (73-74). She figured something out on Sunday at the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic and carded a 69 to finish T12.
“I just tried to free my swing up and hit good shots,” said McDonald, who felt she was getting too technical. “I can’t worry about having the perfect swing and that was kind of the same mindset today.”
McDonald has a good understanding of the importance of this week. Back in 2014 when she played on the U.S. Curtis Cup team and had the chance to spend time with Beth Daniel and Meg Mallon.
“This is such a unique event, rarely do we ever get to play with the legends,” said McDonald. “For most us, when we see them it is like ‘oh my gosh, they had such a successful career’ so to play in a tournament with them is amazing.”
McDonald is now sporting shin high socks that match her outfits every round. She gets them from Stance Socks.
“Several of my friends back home, guys that play on the Web.com Tour, started wearing them and I was like ‘wow they are really cool’ so I wanted to see if they had women’s socks,” said McDonald. “I was able to get the hook up and now I’m rocking them. They are here to stay and so are the tan lines.”
NAPLES RESIDENT POPOV IN SHARE OF LEAD: Sophia Popov (Heidelberg, Germany) spent much of the offseason in Naples, practicing mostly at Hunters Ridge Golf and Country Club. Popov, who is commuting from home this week, had her mom on the bag and posted a 5-under 67.
“She is usually never on my bag, but she is here for a couple of weeks and it is really nice to just be able to talk to her about anything but golf, which really helps,” explained 23-year-old Popov, who admitted being nervous before most rounds. “The nervousness went away on the third or fourth hole and I got going.”
Popov is encouraged by her quick start this week. Last week in Lake Wales, her first two rounds were 74-75 before finishing with a 70 to close T25. At the IOA Championship, she hit a mid-round speed bump, but again closed with a 68 to finish T10.
“It is nice to start from the top rather than fight back and hopefully I make the best out of it,” said
Popov. “In the first two tournaments, I ended up playing well, but I didn’t have the consistency I want.”
Popov is looking forward to seeing and potentially playing with Nancy Lopez. In 2009, she played on the European team for the Junior Solheim Cup and Lopez was the captain of the U.S. team.
“I really liked her because she was really, really nice,” said Popov. “She was so great as a captain to the girls and I would love to play with her, it would be really fun. She is a legend so it would obviously mean a lot to learn from her.”
Although Popov played on the LPGA last year and has taken a ‘step back’ to the Epson Tour, she feels refreshed.
“It’s fun to play with a lot of players you know,” said Popov. “I feel like we are all in the same boat trying to reach the LPGA and I feel like everyone is willing to help out here.”
COLD BEHIND HER, FERRELL POSTS 69: Allyssa Ferrell (Edgerton, Wis.) started strong with a 3-under, 69 and stands in a tie for fifth, just two shots back from current leaders McDonald and Popov.
“The pars early were really good,” said Ferrell, who made par on the first five holes. “I capitalized on those and once you get the first one to go in, the gate just goes wide open.”
Ferrell made three birdies on holes six, seven and eight, but bogeyed nine to make the turn in 34. She then made par on every hole except for the 13th, which she birded to finish 1-under, 35 on the back nine.
“I was just trying to stay patient,” Ferrell said. “You have to be confident in your reads and go ahead and hit it especially with these greens. They are rolling nice, they are so fast.”
An avid fan of the Cypress Lake Country Club, Ferrell says the course suits her style of play.
“They’re (greens) just perfect,” Ferrell said. “I love these kind of greens.”
Ferrell comes to Fort Myers after recovering from a cold, which she fought last week during the Florida’s Natural Charity Classic in Lake Wales, where she placed T56. With the cold behind her, Ferrell is looking for her first career top 10 finish.
“I just got a cold and I couldn’t shake it,” Ferrell said. “Everyone in my family got it right before I left home and I was like ‘yes I’m in the clear!’ and then three days later I was just a brick wall. Everything seemed to kind of click today, it wasn’t one of those struggle days.”
Ferrell is also motivated to play side-by-side with some of the Legends Tour players in the field. After watching the film, The Founders, on Wednesday at the clubhouse, she found a whole new outlook on the tournament.
“It put everything in perspective and I think that’s why this weekend is so important because everyone cares so much about the LPGA and the younger you are, I think you take those things for granted and I think it’s important to remember (what the founders and these Legends Tour players went through),” Ferrell said. “That is why I would really like to play with some of these ladies this week who grinded it out to pave the way for us. I think that is really incredible.”
QUICK NOTES
- Nelly Korda, the younger sister of Jessica Korda, carded a 1-over 73. Korda was 3-under through 11 holes, but faded with a double bogey on 12 and bogeys on 16 and 17.
- Madelene Sagstrom, who is second on the Volvik Race for the Card money list with two top 3 results, posted a 3-under 69. She has been even-par or under in seven consecutive rounds to start the year.
- Defending Chico’s Patty Berg Memorial champion, Augusta James, carded an even-par 72.
- Estero native Laura DeMarco turned in a 10-over 82.
- 15-year-old Ya-Chun Chang, who finished T2 last week, posted a 1-over 73
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