No. 3 Women's Golf Wins UCF Challenge

[augolf1716 21,302]

i]Not the strongest field in the world but a win is a win.

Auburn has one of the best all around golf programs in the country both Men and Womens. [/i]

The No. 3-ranked Auburn women's golf team picked up its first team win of the 2011-12 season Tuesday, carding a final-round 294 to take the title at the Central Florida Challenge with a 1-under 863. Freshman Victoria Trapani also picked up her first career individual victory, earning medalist honors with a 3-under 213.

Hosted by the University of Central Florida, the Central Florida Challenge was a 54-hole stroke play tournament played at the Red Tail Golf Club in Orlando, Fla. The par 72 course played at 6,374 yards for the tournament. The 18-team field features five teams ranked in the top 25 in one of the major polls.

The first-place finish is the Tigers first win since taking the Southeastern Conference Championship title last season and is the fifth top-three finish of the season for the Tigers. Auburn started the day off in a tie for the lead and took sole possession midway through the round. Auburn dropped some strokes in the final holes, but was able to hold on for the win. The Tigers finished the tournament with rounds of 285-284-294--863 (-1).

"We are really excited about the win," said Auburn women's golf coach Kim Evans. We got off to a decent start and played really solid in the middle of the round. We lost a few strokes there at the end on what ended up being a windy golf course. It played tough with a good field and a few very good teams here, but we were able to hold on for the win."

Trapani remained in the hunt throughout the entire tournament, ending Monday's round just one stroke out of lead. She carded a 1-over 73 Tuesday to finish with a 3-under 213 and take the tournament title by a stroke. Trapani finished the tournament with 10 birdies against just six holes of bogey or worse.

The individual win is the third of the season for Auburn as Carlie Yadloczky won the season-opening "Mo" Morial and Marta Sanz won the Lady Tar Heel invitational

"Victoria got her first win which gives us three wins this year and we are pretty excited about that," said Evans. "She just started right out of the gate so strong and just had a way about her. She maneuvered her way around the golf course and was a real fighter."

Two other Tigers, Diana Fernandez and Haley Wilson, also carded 1-over 73s for top-10 finishes. Fernandez tied for fourth, recording her best finish of her career, with a tournament-total 75-67-73--215. Fernandez carded the lowest round of the tournament for the team in Monday's round with a 67, carding seven birdies.

Also carding her highest finish of the season in a tie for seventh is Wilson with rounds of 72-72-73--217. It is the first top-10 finish of the season for Wilson.

"My hat is off to Diana for a huge round yesterday, that was a huge breakthrough for her and she was able to follow it up with another good round today," said Evans. "Haley also played really steady and birdied her last hole to help us keep that edge."

Sophomore Marta Sanz tied for 25th, carding rounds of 71-73-78--222 for the tournament. Junior Carlie Yadloczky finished the tournament with 74-78-75--227, tying for 53rd to round out the Auburn lineup.

Playing as an individual, senior Patricia Sanz carded a 75-70-76--221 to tie for 20th, notching the best finish among the individual competitors in the tournament.

Auburn took first place with 1-under 863, followed by Baylor in second at 1-over 865. Tulane finished third at 2-over 866, with host UCF carding 9-over 873 to take fourth. In fifth at 15-over 879 was Augusta State.

Individually, Auburn's Victoria Trapani finished first at 3-under 213. Tying for second was Tulane's Gemma Dryburgh and Ashley McKenney at 2-under 214. In a three-way tie for fourth was Baylor's Chelsey Cothran and Haley Davis and Auburn's Fernandez with 1-under 215s.

"We had a good week and we are going to enjoy this win, but we have to get back to work pretty quick," said Evans. "We have to get ready to go to New Orleans in a couple weeks and try to get a win there."

The Tigers will return to the course Feb. 26-28 for the Sugar Bowl Invitational at the English Turn Golf Club in New Orleans, La.

1 - Auburn - 285-284-294--863 (-1)

2 - Baylor - 284-285-296--865 (+1)

3 - Tulane - 287-289-290--866 (+2)

4 - Central Florida - 295-282-296--873 (+9)

5 - Augusta State - 286-293-300--879 (+15)

6 - South Florida - 292-291-300--883 (+19)

7 - South Carolina - 290-299-300--889 (+25)

8 - Kentucky - 297-297-296--890 (+26)

9 - Texas - 292-306-293--891 (+27)

10 - Kennesaw State - 300-295-305--900 (+36)

11 - Miami (Fla.) - 301-297-308--906 (+42)

12 - Texas-San Antonio - 299-300-311--910 (+46)

13 - Memphis - 300-304-308--912 (+48)

T14 - Mississippi State - 308-299-308--915 (+51)

T14 - Coastal Carolina - 303-308-304--915 (+51)

16 - Kansas - 306-302-309--917 (+53)

17 - Georgia State - 302-310-312--924 (+60)

18 - Minnesota - 310-301-318--929 (+65)

[Tigerbelle 5,299]

A win is a win! 

Great job by the Women's Golf Team! War Eagle Ladies!