Four Strokes Off The Lead

Results (pdf)

CHAPEL HILL, NC – The University of Arkansas women’s golf team played its way into fourth place after round one of the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational at the UNC Finley Golf Course on Friday.

The Razorbacks posted a 2-under 286 and are just four strokes back of the leader, No. 21 Wake Forest, who opened with a 6-under 282.

Junior Alana Uriell paced three Arkansas players who shot par or better on Friday. The Carlsbad, California, native counted a 2-under 70 after getting out to a strong start on the back side of the course. Uriell carded three birdies in the first nine holes turning 3-under. She finished strong with her final birdie on No. 8, her 17th hole of the round.

Sophomore All-American Maria Fassi is also under par with a 1-under 71. Solid and steady would be the way to describe her round as the Hidalgo, Mexico, native, birded No. 13 for the only mark on her scorecard. Transfer Kaylee Benton added an even-par 72 with another clean scorecard. Benton played the back nine, her starting nine, even and had one birdie and one bogey on the front side.

Sophomore Cara Gorlei finished strong with a 1-over 73 in the first round. Gorlei had a bogey and a double on the back nine but rallied with a pair of birdies on the front side to lower her number. Senior Samantha Marks was also better on the second nine, rounding out the Razorback scores.

The Demon Deacons lead the field but five teams are in the clubhouse shooting par or better in the first round. Ohio State is currently second shooting 283, followed by top-ranked Alabama in third with a 3-under 295. The Razorbacks are in fourth with 286, two shots better than North Carolina State, whose 288 rounds out the top five.

From Shauna Estes-Taylor
It was a decent start for us today. It was a great job out of Alana (Uriell), Cara, Maria and Kaylee. For Samantha, it was getting her back into competition mode. I feel really good about where we are and about our game plan for this course. We have put ourselves in a position to accomplish our goals. We need to stick to the process and keep hitting good, committed golf shots. I look forward to two more days and moving up the leaderboard. We are ready for tomorrow.

Individual Results

Team Results