Andrew in command after Day 1

COLUMBUS - Jenny Andrew is well on her way to her second consecutive Columbus Ladies City Championship.

The Columbus High graduate fired an 18-hole score of 79 and leads by 10 strokes over Merin Koch and Dee Mayben after the first day at the Elks Country Club Saturday. The tournament will conclude at Quail Run Golf Course at 10:30 a.m. today, which was moved up because of the heat.

Koch and Mayben each carded rounds of 89 after the first day. Traci Ryba-Grant is one stroke back in fourth, while Sara Thurley shot a 92 and ended the day in fifth place.

While Andrew is in command of the gross-score division, the net division is much closer as five golfers are within five strokes of her. Koch is two strokes back, while Ryba-Grant and Lori Ziemba shot handicapped scores of 73. Also, Rhonda Robinson and Jaci Vancura finished with rounds of 75.

Andrew, who tore a tendon in her finger last spring, said she felt good about leading after the first day.

“I was pretty happy with my play today,” the Hastings College sophomore said. “I haven't played golf in a while because of the injury, but really that's no excuse. It's getting to a point where it's all healed. I was a little surprised that I shot that well on the first day, mainly because I don't golf much on (the Elks) course.”

The day, however, didn't really start the way Andrew wanted. On the first two holes she said she tried to hit the ball over the trees, but each time her shot hit the top of the trees, forcing her to settle for bogeys.

On the third hole, Andrew launched a 245-foot drive. She chipped her second shot onto the green and then sunk the putt for a birdie. She said she hit a few bad holes after that but the third hole was the one that gave her confidence for the rest of the day.

“After the first two holes, I figured it was time to play some golf and thought I can't be trying to hit the ball over the trees,” she said. “I think that birdie on the third hole really helped me settle down and turned my game around because before then it was bogey, bogey.”

Andrew added she feels she can improve on a few things today.

“I think I need to work on my 100-yard shots,” she said. “I felt I wasn't able to stick much. I was chipping close to the greens because I was rolling them all off. I just need to work on my irons.”

Columbus Ladies City Championship

Saturday at Elks Country Club

n GROSS SCORES - 1. Jenny Andrew 79; 2t. Merin Koch 89; 2t. Dee Mayben 89; 4. Traci Ryba-Grant 90; 5. Sara Thurley 92; 6t. Diane Oppliger 94; 6t. Jaci Vancura 94; 8. Deann Kubr 95; 9. Danika Rowe 97; 10t. Nancy Blackburn 99; 10t. Lori Ziemba; 12. Rhonda Robinson 100; 13t. Nancy Schoo 106; 13t. Luann Warth 106; 15. Wanda Borowiak 108; 16. Rhonda Wetgen 111; 17. Chris Wagner 112; 18. Virginia Pocwierz 113; 19. Jenny Wild 115.

n NET SCORES - 1. Jenny Andrew 70; 2. Merin Koch 72; 3t. Traci Ryba-Grant 73; 3t. Lori Ziemba 73; 5t. Rhonda Robinson 75; 5t. Jaci Vancura 75; 7t. Wanda Borowiak 77; 7t. Virginia Pocwierz 77; 9t. Nancy Blackburn 78; 9t. Deann Kubr 78; 9t. Diane Oppliger 78; 12. Dee Mayben 79; 13t. Danika Rowe 80; 13t. Nancy Schoo 80; 13t. Sara Thurley 80; 13t. Chris Wagner 80; 17. Luann Warth 82; 18. Rhonda Wetgen 86; 19. Jenny Wild 87.