Nov. 1, 2002

AUBURN, Ala.

The No. 11 University of Tennessee Lady Vol golf team opened up the 2002 Auburn Tiger Derby at the Auburn University Club in fine fashion by firing a 1-over 289 to take a lead over its stiffest competition of the season as well as a two shot lead over second-place tourney host Auburn. The first-day total ties UT's third-round 2002 SEC Championship total for the fifth-lowest mark in program history as well as ties for third-place in Derby history. Individually, Auburn's Diana Ramage and Georgia's Summer Sirmons currently lead the pack after a pair of 3-under 69s.

Freshman Golda Johansson (Lund, Sweden) blitzed the course with a career-low 2-under 70 to begin the tournament in a third-place tie with a block of three other golfers. Team captain Jessica Shepley (Oakville, Ontario) is currently tied for seventh with two golfers after recording a first-day 1-under 71, which moves her into sole possession of sixth-place on the Orange and White's career rounds at par-or-under chart. Junior Tai Perry (Unionville, Pa.) and freshman Violeta Retamoza (Aquascalientes, Mexico) carded matching 2-over 74s to tie for 21st and round out UT scoring. Mary Jan Fernandez (Henderson, Nev.) completed the Lady Vol fivesome with a 5-over 77 to tie for 41st.

The Lady Vols are facing their toughest test to date this weekend as the Tiger Derby features the top seven teams in the country (No. 1 Duke, No. 2 Arizona, No. 3 Auburn, No. 4 Oklahoma State, No. 5 Vanderbilt, No. 6 Florida and No. 7 Texas) and a total of 10 of the Top 25 ranked schools in the nation (No. 9 Southern California, No. 12 Georgia and No. 20 South Carolina).

The Big Orange continues the tournament Saturday with tee times beginning at 8:30 a.m. UT then concludes the event, and the fall season, Sunday with a shotgun start at 8:00 a.m.

Auburn Tiger Derby
At Auburn University Club (Auburn)

Team Scores:
1.	No. 11 TENNESSEE	289
2.	No. 3 Auburn	291
3.	No. 7 Texas	294
	No. 1 Duke	294
5.	No. 9 Southern California	296
	No. 2 Arizona	296
7.	No. 12 Georgia	298
8.	No. 20 South Carolina	299
9.	No. 4 Oklahoma State	300
10.	No. 6 Florida	303
11.	No. 5 Vanderbilt	308
12.	TCU	310
13.	Louisiana State	311
Top Scorers:
1.	Diana Ramage, Auburn	69
	Summer Sirmons, Georgia	69
UT Scores:
T3	Golda Johansson	70
T7.	Jessica Shepley	71
T21.	Tai Perry	74
T21.	Violeta Retamoza	74
T41.	Mary Jan Fernandez	77