The Florida Gators women’s golf team had a chance to capture fifth place on the final day of the Liz Murphy Collegiate Classic.
Florida dropped its head-to-head match to Ole Miss, however, and it finished in sixth place to end the regular season.
The Gators were without regular starters Marta Perez and Sierra Brooks as they were exempt from this week’s tournament after comepting in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amatuer last weekend. Both represented Florida on one of golf’s most prestigious courses with Brooks finishing tied for 10th (1 over) and Perez tied for 21st (4 over).
Florida’s final day of the tournament at the University of Georgia golf course saw some positives from some of its lineup.
After finishing Round 1 in eighth place after Thursday’s one round of stroke play, Florida faced Augusta and Louisville in a match-play doubleheader.
Florida dropped the first match to Augusta 4-1 with Clara Manzalini being the lone Gator to win her match. The Gators defeated the Cardinals on a tiebreak after the match finished 2.5-2.5. Manzalini and Addie Baggarly won their respective matches, while freshman Jenny Kim tied in her head-to-head match.
The tiebreaker used to decide who won was which team won the most holes overall in the round — Florida won.
The Gators lost three nailbiter matches in Round 3 Saturday against Ole Miss. Manzalini lost to Julia Johnson by two strokes while Baggarly fell to Ellen Hutchinson-Kay by two strokes, as well. Lauren Waidner, slotted in the fifth spot for the Gators, was all square with Kennedy Swann heading to the final hole but lost it.
Jenny Kim and Carlotta Ricolfi dominated their matchups against Ole Miss, defeating their respective opponents by four strokes and only needing 15 holes each.
South Carolina defeated Augusta to take the title, with host Georgia and Arkansas rounded out the top four.
Florida will see a similar format to this match-play style when it enters the SEC Championships next week.
Follow Victor Prieto on Twitter @victorprieto_11 and contact him at vprieto@alligator.org.
Marta Perez was exempt from the Liz Murphy Collegiate Classic after competing in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amatuer last weekend. The Gators women's Golf team finished the tournament in sixth place.
