Tuesday, February 6
Orlando, Fla. (Eagle Creek Golf Club)
All Day
North Carolina
at
UCF Challenge Day Three
Women's Golf Champs In Orlando
February 5, 2024 | Women's Golf
Sophomore Megan Streicher tied for fourth and fifth-year senior Kayla Smith tied for eighth to lead the University of North Carolina to the team title at the UCF Challenge at Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, Fla.
The Tar Heels won the 18-team field by five strokes over Kansas. It was UNC's second team championship in as many starts. Last October, in the final event of the fall portion of the 2023-24 schedule, UNC won the four-team St Andrews Links Collegiate at the Old Course in Scotland.
Overall, it's Carolina's third team title under third-year head coach Aimee Neff.
The Tar Heels won wire-to-wire in Orlando, leading by three shots after round one, by eight after 36 holes and winning today by five.
UNC's 18-under 846 are the second-best 54-hole totals in Carolina women's golf history for fewest strokes and most strokes below par.
Streicher (64-72-73) set the all-time 18-hole school record with an 8-under 64 on Saturday and finished 7-under 209, six strokes behind medalist Lauren Zaletsky of Texas Tech. The tie for fourth place is her best career placement as a Tar Heel. Streicher's 209 total equals her best 54-hole total as a Tar Heel.
Smith opened with 71 then shot back-to-back 70s for a 5-under 211. It was Smith's third consecutive top-eight finish and her seventh career top 10.
Freshman Ing Iadpluem (72-70-73) tied for 21st at 1-under 215, and sophomore Vilde Nystrøm (76-71-71) and freshman Reagan Southerland (72-69-77) tied for 40th at 2-over 218.
Nystrøm birdied four of her last six holes today to shoot 71 for the second straight round.
The Tar Heels (-18) and Jayhawks (-13) were one-two in the final team standings. Miami was third at 11 under, and the College of Charleston, UCF and Northwestern tied for fourth place at 8 under.
"I'm pretty pumped to start the spring season where we left off in the fall in Scotland," says Neff. "We did a good job of getting out of the gate on Saturday and not letting the change in the schedule affect us. Each of the five players up and down the lineup contributed; they all counted scores at least once. We have a young team, but we only made one double-bogey the entire tournament and it wasn't in a counting score that round, so as the saying goes, 'we kept par alive.' Plus, we made a couple of eagles and a bunch of birdies."
The tournament was scheduled for Sunday through Tuesday, but the event was pushed forward a day due to weather forecasts, so the teams began the first round on Saturday instead.
"The best part is our players got a victory, but they don't feel like they played their best," adds Neff. "They were frustrated shooting only 1 under today, but that's okay. I'm happy for this team and excited they get a chance to build with a win."
The Tar Heels won the 18-team field by five strokes over Kansas. It was UNC's second team championship in as many starts. Last October, in the final event of the fall portion of the 2023-24 schedule, UNC won the four-team St Andrews Links Collegiate at the Old Course in Scotland.
Overall, it's Carolina's third team title under third-year head coach Aimee Neff.
The Tar Heels won wire-to-wire in Orlando, leading by three shots after round one, by eight after 36 holes and winning today by five.
UNC's 18-under 846 are the second-best 54-hole totals in Carolina women's golf history for fewest strokes and most strokes below par.
Streicher (64-72-73) set the all-time 18-hole school record with an 8-under 64 on Saturday and finished 7-under 209, six strokes behind medalist Lauren Zaletsky of Texas Tech. The tie for fourth place is her best career placement as a Tar Heel. Streicher's 209 total equals her best 54-hole total as a Tar Heel.
Smith opened with 71 then shot back-to-back 70s for a 5-under 211. It was Smith's third consecutive top-eight finish and her seventh career top 10.
Freshman Ing Iadpluem (72-70-73) tied for 21st at 1-under 215, and sophomore Vilde Nystrøm (76-71-71) and freshman Reagan Southerland (72-69-77) tied for 40th at 2-over 218.
Nystrøm birdied four of her last six holes today to shoot 71 for the second straight round.
The Tar Heels (-18) and Jayhawks (-13) were one-two in the final team standings. Miami was third at 11 under, and the College of Charleston, UCF and Northwestern tied for fourth place at 8 under.
"I'm pretty pumped to start the spring season where we left off in the fall in Scotland," says Neff. "We did a good job of getting out of the gate on Saturday and not letting the change in the schedule affect us. Each of the five players up and down the lineup contributed; they all counted scores at least once. We have a young team, but we only made one double-bogey the entire tournament and it wasn't in a counting score that round, so as the saying goes, 'we kept par alive.' Plus, we made a couple of eagles and a bunch of birdies."
The tournament was scheduled for Sunday through Tuesday, but the event was pushed forward a day due to weather forecasts, so the teams began the first round on Saturday instead.
"The best part is our players got a victory, but they don't feel like they played their best," adds Neff. "They were frustrated shooting only 1 under today, but that's okay. I'm happy for this team and excited they get a chance to build with a win."
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