Spring semester is in full swing, and for the No. 12 UF women’s golf team, it’s time for this year’s Florida Challenge, hosted by South Florida.
This is the Gators’ first tournament since they finished their Fall season at the Alamo Invitational in San Antonio, Texas. Florida finished the end of the Fall season with a score of 6-under-par, taking home the gold.
Now onto their next challenge, the Gators hope to improve on last year’s third-place finish.
At last year’s Florida Challenge, despite season-best finishes from the entire Gator squad, UF placed behind both Miami and USF, which tied for first.
Then-sophomores Maria Torres and Kelly Grassel tied for fifth place with scores of 4-over-par (75-73–148).
Then-sophomore Karolina Vlckova, who competed as an independent, and then-senior Camilla Hedberg finished tied for third with scores of 3-over-par (74-73–147).
But the new year brings new changes for Florida. The 2015-16 season came with the graduation and departure of Hedberg and Anna Young. It also brought about the addition of freshmen Sam Wagner and Madison Pacheco.
Other additions to the team include senior Laura Kanouse and junior Sydney Needham. Kanouse joined the team after a stellar amateur performance at the National Collegiate Club Golf Association (NCCGA) 2015 National Championship as part as the University of Florida’s club golf team. Needham joined the Gators after transferring from Samford University, where she was named Southern Conference Golfer of the Week twice.
"We had a really competitive qualifier in preparation for the Florida Challenge, and I think that will help prepare us for Monday," coach Emily Glaser said in a release.
The tournament begins today at 8:15 a.m. at the par-72, 6,114-yard Black Diamond Ranch Quarry Course, in Lecanto, Florida.
Follow Alfredo Morales on Twitter @amorales_95.
Maria Torres hits the ball during the SunTrust Gator Women's Golf Invitational on March 15.
