Golf Set to Open Spring Season in Orlando
CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The University of Miami golf team returns to the course for the first time this spring as it travels to Orlando, Fla., on Sunday to compete in the UCF Challenge. This year’s event will take place at the Par-72 6,349 yard Eagle Creek Golf Club.
No. 39 Miami will compete in a 16-team field that features seven top-40 teams, including No. 3 Kent State, No. 13 Michigan State, No. 14 Illinois, No. 15 Oklahoma State, No. 36 UCF and No. 40 Iowa State.
The tournament will consist of 54 holes over a three-day stretch, with tee times set to begin at 8:45 a.m. on Sunday. Action will continue Monday, with the final round scheduled for Tuesday morning.
All seven Hurricanes are set to compete this weekend, with senior Renate Grimstad, junior Kristyna Frydlova, sophomore Anna Backman and freshmen Daniella Barrett and Franziska Sliper in the team lineup, and senior Macarena Aguilera and freshman Morgan Pankow competing as individuals.
Last season, in just her second collegiate tournament, Backman captured the UCF Challenge individual title, scoring an 11-under 205, the second lowest individual score in program history.
One year later and the Vääksy, Finland, native is looking forward to returning to Orlando and competing alongside her teammates.
“I am just really looking forward to playing with this team now that everyone is used to being here,” Backman said. “As for the tournament, I am trying not to expect anything. Now that I know the course, it is just going to be really fun to play on. So, I am just going to give it my all.”
As a team, the Hurricanes will look to build off a successful fall season that rounded out with the Canes securing a pair of top-five finishes at the Betsy Rawls Invitational (fourth) and Jim West Challenge (third). Leading the way for UM, Grimstad and Frydlova ranked among the top-10 ACC individuals in average score vs. par during the 2019 fall season, with the senior leading the conference at -1.00 and the junior ranking sixth at -0.36.
To keep up with the University of Miami golf team on social media, follow @HurricanesGolf on Twitter, @CanesGolf on Instagram and @CanesWGolf on Facebook.
