Whitney Myers couldn't keep up her whirlwind pace.
But with her fellow Gators staying low, it really didn?t matter.
Led Monday by freshman Jessica Yadloczky?s gritty even-par 72, UF?s fifth-ranked women?s golf squad finished second to Southeastern Conference foe Alabama at the Wildcat Fall Invitational in Lexington, Ky.
BWe had some really good play and we had some hiccups,C UF coach Jill Briles-Hinton said. BIt was a growing experience.C
The Gators entered the final round only five strokes behind the Crimson Tide but slipped Monday, finishing eleven shots behind. A flood of double bogeys down the stretch from seniors Myers, Tiffany Chudy and Eleanor Tucker was particularly painful.
Briles-Hinton attributed them to the stress of contending for a title.
BThey?ve got to learn how to control themselves in that situation,C she said, stressing the importance of patience on the back nine. BThey had too much time to think about it.C
But there were positives. Their 10-over 298 on Monday lengthens their streak of sub-300 rounds to six.
And the Gators were honing their touch.
B[Myers] got a great deal of education,C Briles-Hinton said.
Myers, who began Monday as the tournament?s individual leader at seven under and tied the UF record with a 67 on Sunday, carded just two birdies on an eight-over 80 pockmarked by three double bogeys en route to fifth place.
The other Gators picked up the slack nicely.
Yadloczky recorded three birdies and three bogeys for her third par-or-better round in six collegiate tries, and wound up tied for sixth at six over for the Invitational, her first collegiate top-ten.
Junior Ornella Jouven and Chudy both fired two-over 74s and netted ties for eighth and 11th place, respectively, at seven and nine over.
Tucker shot the best round of her rough tournament Monday with a 78 that tied her for 48th at twenty-three over overall. Junior Brittany Nelson, competing as an individual, turned in a one-over 73 that lifted her to a tie for 23rd.
The Gators next play at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate Classic in Tennessee from Oct. 12 through Oct. 14.
