Ronderos, Hirano Finish in Top 25 at Kentucky Invitational

Sept. 27, 2009

LEXINGTON, K.Y. – Junior Maria Ronderos and sophomore Jennifer Hirano each shot three-over par 74 to finish tied for 24th and lead the University of Miami women’s golf team to a 13th place finish Sunday at the Bettie Lou Evans Fall Invitational at the University Club of Kentucky.

Florida State (587) won the team title followed by top five finishers UCF (592), Chattanooga (598), Notre Dame (598) and Kennesaw State (601). Miami performed better as a team in the final round shooting 306 – seven strokes better than its round one score. The tournament was shortened to two rounds after inclement weather in the Lexington area cancelled Saturday’s originally scheduled second round.

Ronderos and Jennifer Hirano shot identically on the front nine and back nine. Each shot 38 on the first nine holes and 36 on the back nine.

Freshman Shelby Gilbert, playing in his first tournament as a Hurricane, bettered her first round score Sunday firing a four-over par 76.

Christina Hirano, Ronderos and Jennifer Hirano are all tied for 28th. Christina Hirano birdied three times and shot 36 on the back nine Friday. Ronderos had a 37 on the front nine while Jennifer Hirano shot 39 on the front side and 38 on the back nine.

Freshman Melanie Kleiner shot 85 rounding out Miami’s five.

The Hurricanes will next be in action next weekend Oct. 4-5 at the Eat A Peach Invitational hosted by Mercer University in Macon, Ga.

Miami Individual Results

T24         Maria Ronderos                   77-74=151

T24         Jennifer Hirano                    77-74=151

T51         Shelby Gilbert                      82-76=158

T54         Christina Hirano                  77-82=159

81           Melanie Kleiner                   88-85=173

Team Results

1.     Florida State                          298-289=587           +15

2.     UCF                                        301-291=592           +20

T3.   Chattanooga                          303-295=598           +26

T3.   Notre Dame                            304-294=598           +26

5.     Kennesaw State                     305-296=601           +29

6.     Coastal Carolina                   301-306=607           +35

7.     Texas State                            302-306=608           +36

T8.   Florida International              311-301=612           +40

T8.   Middle Tennessee State       312-300=612           +40

T10  Augusta State                         310-304=614           +42

T10  Mississippi State                  314-300=614           +42

T10  Kentucky (B)                          311-303=614           +42

13.   Miami (Fla.)                            313-306=619          +47

14.   Kentucky                                   318-303=621           +49

15.   Princeton                                   314-315=629           +57