Alabama
Valspar Augusta Invitational
Alabama Women’s Golf Improves 17 Strokes, Finds Fourth Place at Valspar Augusta Invitational
3/13/2022 4:36:00 PM | Women's Golf
It marked the Crimson Tide’s sixth fourth place finish or better in seven tournaments this season
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Warmer temperatures and softer wind speeds helped the Crimson Tide women's golf team shed 17 strokes off its first round, earning a 3-over-par 291 in the final round at Forest Hills Golf Club (par 72, 6,244 yards) in Augusta, Ga., Sunday. Alabama earned fourth place on a 23-over-par 599 tournament total in its third spring tournament of 2022.
Alabama has rallied a finish inside the top four in six of its seven tournaments this season.
The tournament, which was originally scheduled to play 36 holes Saturday and 18 holes Sunday, was reformatted to just 18 holes Saturday and 18 holes Sunday because of more than 20 miles per hour wind speed and up to 30 miles per hour wind gusts during the first round.
The Valspar Augusta Invitational featured 16 teams, including five teams ranked in the Golfstat.com Top 25. The tournament field consists of Augusta, No. 9 Alabama, Coastal Carolina, No. 14 Florida State, Furman, Georgia Southern, Memphis, Miami, Minnesota, Purdue, No. 25 Ole Miss, San Diego State, No. 4 South Carolina, South Florida, Tennessee and No. 23 Virginia Tech.
South Carolina and Ole Miss tied for first place on a 14-over-par 590 through 36 holes, respectively. Florida State rounded out the top three on an 18-over-par 594.
Polly Mack earned her first finish inside the top five this season, including her fourth finish inside the top 10 to tie teammate Benedetta Moresco.
Mack earned an even-par 72 Sunday, a round that featured three birdies in five holes on Nos. 14, 15 and 18. The senior recorded a team-low, 3-over-par 147 tournament total for a share of fifth place.
Senior Angelica Moresco and freshman Isabella van der Biest both found success in the calmer elements, each turning in even pars in the final round, too.
Moresco began the day strong, going three-under through her first 14 holes. While the senior started on hole No. 5, she had a polished back nine, thanks to five pars and three birdies. Those under-par scores would prove to be advantageous after suffering three straight bogeys near the end of her round on Nos. 1, 2 and 3.
Moresco rallied a 7-over-par 151 tournament total for a share of 22nd place.
Thanks to van der Biest's even par in the final round, she rallied an 8-over-par 152 tournament total for a share of 25th place. It marked her first finish inside the top 25 competing in the Crimson Tide's lineup.
Benedetta Moresco paired her even par in the first round with a 3-over-par 75 in the final round, good enough for a 5-over-par 149 tournament total and a share of 16th place. It marked her sixth finish inside the top 20 in seven tournaments this season.
Sarah Edwards finished the tournament tied for 65th on a 16-over-par 160 overall score.
FROM HEAD COACH MIC POTTER
"It was a better day today with little wind and comfortable temperatures. Our scoring was improved, but we wasted too many shots around the greens to put pressure on the leaders. The only way to recover from a seven shot deficit is to force the leaders into mistakes, and we couldn't quite make that happen. Our chipping, pitching and putting need to be better, and that is on me to make that happen in practice leading into the postseason. We now have a week off before heading to Athens for the Liz Murphy, March 25-27. We need to make sure every practice is productive between now and then. If we do, we have the potential to be one of the best teams in the country."
RESULTS
- T5 Polly Mack 3-over-par 147
- T16 Benedetta Moresco 5-over-par 149
- T22 Angelica Moresco 7-over-par 151
- T25 Isabella van der Biest 8-over-par 152
- T65 Sarah Edwards 16-over-par 160
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Players Mentioned
