Canes Golf Finishes Second at Florida Gators Invitational
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 24-ranked University of Miami golf team wrapped up play at the Florida Gators Invitational tying for second, while a trio of Hurricanes secured top 10 individual finishes.
Competing at the par 70, 6,701-yard Mark Bostick Golf Course, the Hurricanes closed out the weekend with a score of three-over, 843, tying No. 34 Campbell for second, just five-strokes back from eighth-ranked Florida. Meanwhile, juniors Renate Grimstad and Macarena Aguilera and sophomore Kristyna Frydlova each finished two-over-par to tie for ninth on the individual leaderboard.
“We are disappointed we finished second after leading for 45 holes, but a triple and double bogey on the 10th hole, from two of our best players, killed us,” Miami head coach Patti Rizzo said. “We cannot have those kind of mistakes and win.
“However, on a positive note, this team is extremely talented and everyone is playing very well right now, so hopefully the next tournament will be ours,” Rizzo said. “We have a couple weeks off to continue to work hard and fight hard.”
Graduate student Claudia De Antonio paced the Hurricanes on Sunday, with a team-high four birdies to close out the afternoon at two-under-par. Entering the afternoon tied for 57th, the Caracas, Venezuela, native jumped 16 spots up the leaderboard to finish tied for 41st with a score of nine-over, 219.
“Claudia made a great comeback, we are very proud of her,” Rizzo said.
Rebounding from a slow start on Saturday, De Antonio rounded out the final 44 holes at 1-under-par, with 39 par or better holes and six birdies.
Grimstad opened Sunday’s front-nine strong carding a pair of birdies to sit at one-under; however, on the par-four, 418-yard 10th hole, the junior suffered a triple bogey followed by a bogey on hole 11, to fall back to three-over-par. She later rebounded with six par rounds and a birdie over the final seven holes to finish the weekend tied for ninth with a 212.
Frydlova and Macarena also closed out the event at two-over-par, as the former garnered her second-career top-10 finish, while the latter picked up her third.
Rounding out the lineup, freshman Anna Backman wrapped up the weekend at six-over-par and tied for 24th. Since joining the Hurricanes in January, she has secured four top 25 finishes in as many tournaments.
Miami will now take a 22 day break from tournament play before competing in The Bruzzy Invitational in Argyle, Texas, April 1-2.
To keep up with the University of Miami golf team on social media, follow @HurricanesGolf on Twitter, @CanesGolf on Instagram and @CanesWGolf on Facebook.
