After more than half of the field shot under par Friday, the conditions stiffened for Saturday’s round at the Mason Rudolph Women’s Championship.
Fighting changing wind conditions, the UF women’s golf team battled to a 7-over round of 295. The Gators fell three spots to a tie for 11th in the standings at 5-over 581 (286-295).
“We didn’t play as well as we did [Friday],” coach Jan Dowling said. “It really came down to short game. We weren’t nearly as sharp.”
Sophomore Mia Piccio continued her very consistent season with a fifth consecutive round of 73 or better. She was even through nine holes but made two clutch birdies on her last three holes to finish with a 1-under 71.
“Mia put a really solid round together,” Dowling said. “That was great. And if Evan had a couple more putts drop she would have a really good score, too.”
Dowling praised her team’s consistency Friday and junior Evan Jensen showed it again Saturday posting a 1-over 73, also her fifth straight round of 1 over or better.
“We’ve been depending on them a lot and they’re doing great,” said Dowling of Jensen and Piccio.
Junior Andrea Watts made the turn at 1 under but had four bogeys and only one birdie on the back nine to card a 2-over 74. Watts started the day in a tie for fifth individually but fell out of the top-15.
Dowling said tougher pin positions added to the higher scores, but it was the team’s play around the greens that cost them.
“We didn’t handle it very well as a team in general,” Dowling said. “Controlling our emotions and not letting bad shots affect us, that’s the big thing.”
Marika Lendl bogeyed her first and fourth hole, and the junior added double bogeys at 9 and 11, but she finished strong with two birdies down the stretch to lower her score to a 5-over 77.
Senior Jessica Yadloczky made birdie on the par-5 7th and the par-4 13th – the hole she eagled from the fairway Friday – but double bogeys on 4 and 15 dropped her score. She finished at 7-over with a 79.
“We’ve just got to tee it up tomorrow and see what happens,” Dowling said.
