Darquea Claims Briar's Creek Crown

JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. – Sophomore Daniela Darquea fired a final round 65 to capture the individual crown and help the No. 38-ranked University of Miami women’s golf team to a runner-up finish at the 2015 Briar’s Creek Invitational Tuesday afternoon.

“I just put some good swings on the ball today and I think things went very well,” Darquea said. “I felt like my putting was pretty strong all week and I just went out there and made putts.” 

Darquea’s final round 65 was her best single performance of the spring. The Ecuador native opened the final round on a high note as she finished four-under-par on the front nine, posting birdies on holes two, four, five and seven. She then closed out the round by carding four birdies on the back nine.

“Dani’s play is so solid right now and she is very confident,” said head coach Patti Rizzo. “She really has it all going.”

Darquea’s winning performance was her the third career victory and her first since the 2014 Gator Women’s Invitational.

The Hurricanes’ runner-up finish marked the second straight tournament Miami has finished second. The second-place finish also marked the fifth time this season the Hurricanes have placed in the top five.

“The girls played great today,” Rizzo said. “Everybody is doing their part and I’m very proud of them. We’re on a good track and we’ll be ready to go for conference play.”

Miami tallied a three-round total of 868 and finished just two shots behind Florida, which captured the team title after it posted a three-round score of 866.

Hurricane senior Leticia Ras-Anderica (Moraira, Spain) also turned in a strong tournament performance as she tied for fourth, posting a three-round total of 215. Ras-Anderica’s finish was her best finish this spring and her second top five finish of the year.

Miami returns to action on Monday, March 30 as it takes part in the 2015 Web.com Intercollegiate in Jacksonville, Fla.