JACKSONVILLE, Fla.—The High Point University women’s golf team finished second at the Bulldog Florida Invitational Thursday (March 9) at the Windsor Parke Golf Club (Par 72 – 6,003 yards) in Jacksonville, Fla. It was the Panthers’ best team finish of the season.
The Panthers finished the two-round tournament with a score of 630 (+54) after shooting 28-over 316 on Thursday. Stetson won the team title with a score of 616, while Western Carolina (639) and Butler (641) placed third and fourth, respectively.
“Obviously disappointed with our round today, we really came out with the goal of bringing home a victory, but as a team, I know we are so close to putting some really low rounds together,” HPU head coach Alexis Bennett said. “We won’t let this deter us, if anything, it’s going to push us to work harder and come back stronger next weekend in Bluffton. I firmly believe our best golf is ahead of us, we just need to prove it to ourselves.”
Junior Cayla Smith led the Panthers on Thursday, shooting 4-over 76 to finish the tourney 12-over (156) and in a tie for sixth place. Freshman Tonrak Tasaso and senior Danielle Fuss each shot 78 (+6) in the second round and finished within a stroke of each other. Tasaso was tied for 10th at 157 (+13) and Fuss placed 12th at 158 (+14).
Freshman Samantha Vodry shot 12-over 84 on Thursday and finished at 15-over for the tournament, tied for 13th. Rounding out the Panthers’ day was freshman Anna-Marie Kuenzle, who shot 18-over 90 and placed 42nd overall with a 173 (+29).
The Panthers return to action March 18-19 for the Low Country Intercollegiate at the Moss Creek Plantation in Hilton Head, S.C.