Miami Golf Opens its Spring Schedule on Sunday at UCF
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The No. 29-ranked University of Miami women’s golf team returns to action on Sunday for its first event of the 2016 spring campaign as it competes in the UCF Challenge.
The 54-hole event will be held at the par 73, 7,217-yard Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, Fla.
THE BASICS
-UCF, Tournament Host
-54-hole tournament
-Sunday, Feb. 7: Round One – 8:30 a.m.
-Monday, Feb. 8: Round Two – 8:30 a.m.
-Tuesday, Feb. 9: Round Three – 8:45 a.m.
COMPETING TEAMS (Rankings based on the final GolfStat Top 30 Team Rankings)
No. 29 Miami, Augusta, Campbell, East Carolina, Daytona State, Houston, No. 16 Iowa State, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi State, No. 25 Missouri, Texas, Tulane, UCF, USF, Vanderbilt, Western Carolina and No. 83 Wisconsin.
THE LINEUP
Delfina Acosta
-Played in all nine rounds during the 2015 fall campaign.
-Posted an average of 72.89 in the fall.
-Fired a season-low 66 in the second round of the Dick McGuire Invitational.
Dewi Weber
-Finished the fall campaign on a high note as she tied for sixth at the Longhorn Invitational.
-Her 72.78 average in the fall ranked second on the team.
-Competed in all three events during the fall.
Luiza Altmann
-Will make her first appearance for Miami this week.
-Was not on the team this past fall.
-Won six amateur tournaments last year prior to her arrival at Miami.
Kailey Walsh
-Saw action in six rounds during the fall campaign.
-Posted a scoring average of 76.83 in the fall.
-Fired two rounds of 71.
Laura Hendee
-Competed in two tournaments this past fall.
-Posted her lowest round of the fall in the final round of the Jim West Challenge.
-One of three seniors on this year’s team.
RECAPPING THE 2015 UCF CHALLENGE
The University of Miami women’s golf team placed seventh at the 2015 UCF Challenge last season
The Hurricanes finished the tournament with a score of eight-over-par, 872.
Sophomore Daniela Darquea led the way for the Hurricanes as she tied for 14th, finishing the event one-under-par (215).
COACH RIZZO ON THE UCF CHALLENGE
On beginning play in the spring
“We’re really excited to get back out there because it feels like it has been a really long offseason. I think everyone on the team is anxious to get back out there and get back into the competitive mode to compete in tournaments. We’re really excited.”
On what the team has worked on since the completion of the fall schedule
“We’ve been focusing a lot on our short game from 100 yards to the green and I think the team has really improved in that area.”
On this weekend’s lineup
“We have five solid girls on our team that we believe can help us get the job done. I think has the spring goes on, we’re going to get better and better, so we’ll start to peek around conference and regional play, which is exactly what we are looking for.”
On the team heading into the spring portion of the schedule
“I think we have a very strong team right now. It’s probably one of the strongest team’s we’ve had since I’ve been here. I think we have a great chance to move up in the rankings throughout the spring.”
On the tournament field
“It’s always good to play against higher ranked teams because it forces you to be on top of your game. There’s a lot of good teams at this tournament – teams that we compete against often – so we know about their quality of play.”
On the course
“It’s good course and it’s a good test for our team. If everyone is on their game, there are some reachable par five’s to where we can score some birdies.”
UP NEXT
The Hurricanes return to action on Sunday Feb. 21 at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate in New Orleans, La.
