The Florida women’s golf team placed 12th in its first tournament of the season at the Therese Hession Regional Challenge.
The tournament took place Feb. 12-14 at the Palos Verdes Golf Club in California. Each team played 18 holes per day.
Senior Annabell Fuller led Florida on day one of the tournament. Fuller shot one-under and tied for tenth. She was one of 12 golfers to shoot under par in round one.
Senior Marina Escobar was right by Fuller’s side.
She started round one strong, making a birdie on the first hole. Escobar had two pars and five birdies in the first seven holes. She finished the round one stroke over par to place 17th.
Florida went into round two in 14th place.
Fuller continued to shoot low and tied for fifth Monday. The senior erased back-to-back bogeys with four birdies in the following eight holes. She shot one under for her fifth round under par this season.
Senior Jackie Lucena cut eight strokes from her previous round to shoot an even-par 71. She jumped 20 spots to T53. Escobar’s team-leading eighth birdie placed her at T22.
Florida headed into the final round of the tournament in 13th place.
Escobar placed T31; Jackie Lucena finished at T48. Escobar posted a team-leading ten birdies — tied for fourth-most in the tournament.
Fuller recorded her fourth team-best finish of the season, tied for fifth. She was one of ten golfers to shoot under par for the tournament.
The senior started the third round with two birdies in her first three holes. Her performance marked her fourth top-15 and second top-five finish of the year.
Junior Maisie Filler and redshirt sophomore Taylor Roberts shot their best rounds to conclude the tournament. Filler placed T79, and Roberts came in at 83rd.
The Gators will return to Florida for the first time this season for the Moon Golf Invitational Feb. 19-21 in Melbourne. Florida will host the Vystar Credit Union Gators Invitational in its next appearance March 4-5.
Contact Madilyn Destefano at mdestefano@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter @DestefanoMadi.
