Texas Border Business
McAllen – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) women’s golf team improved by 15 strokes from the first to the second round of the UTRGV Invitational on Monday to sit in fourth place after the first day at McAllen Country Club.
UTRGV opened with a first round team score of 315 before posting the second best second round score of the day of 300 for a two-round total of 615. UTRGV sits just seven strokes behind Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for third place.
“All in all, I am really proud of the girls’ second-round comeback,” UTRGV head coach Bryan Novoa said. “We shot 15 shots lower than the first round. We came out a little tight this morning and made some tentative swings, which cost us in the middle of the first round. The conditions actually got tougher this afternoon and we kind of showed our true colors. We are going to build on this for the final round tomorrow.”
Freshman and Brownsville Veterans alum Julie Lucio led the way for UTRGV on the first day. She opened with a first round 78 before shaving off seven strokes in the second as she sits tied for sixth with a two-round score of 149.
Senior and Sharyland alum Michelle Moroles is tied for 12th with a two-round score of 152. Moroles carded a first round 78 before posting a second round 74. Junior Vicky Gonzalez and sophomore Los Fresnos alum Briana Garza are tied for 22nd with a two-round total of 156. Gonzalez carded rounds of 80 and 76 while Garza posted rounds of 77 and 79.
Senior Emma Mesta and junior Tilda Green are tied for 38th with two-round scores of 161 after Mesta posted rounds of 79 and 82 and Green carded rounds of 82 and 79.
Sam Houston State holds the lead after the first day with a two-round total of 590 with rounds of 291 and 299. Texas State’s Ann-Charlotte Mora holds the individual lead with a two-round score of 143 with rounds of 68 and 75.
UTRGV will be back on the course tomorrow for the final round of the tournament starting at 8:30 a.m.
Results
| Place | Golfer | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Total |
| T-6. | Julie Lucio | 78 | 71 | – | 149 |
| T-12. | Michelle Moroles | 78 | 74 | – | 152 |
| T-22. | Vicky Gonzalez | 80 | 76 | – | 156 |
| T-22. | Briana Garza* | 77 | 79 | – | 156 |
| T-38. | Emma Mesta | 79 | 82 | – | 161 |
| T-38. | Tilda Green | 82 | 79 | – | 161 |
*Played as an individual
| Place | Team | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Total |
| 1. | Sam Houston State | 291 | 299 | – | 590 |
| 2. | Texas State | 289 | 307 | – | 596 |
| 3. | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | 306 | 302 | – | 608 |
| 4. | UTRGV | 315 | 300 | – | 615 |
| 5. | Incarnate Word | 312 | 306 | – | 618 |
| 6. | McNeese State | 307 | 316 | – | 623 |
| 7. | Stephen F. Austin | 318 | 310 | – | 628 |
| 8. | Omaha | 325 | 312 | – | 637 |
| 9. | Weber State | 317 | 322 | – | 639 |
| 10. | Western Texas CC | 323 | 317 | – | 640 |
| 11. | Creighton | 322 | 324 | – | 646 |
| 12. | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 325 | 324 | – | 649 |
| 13. | McLennan CC | 334 | 323 | – | 657 |
| 14. | Chicago State | 337 | 328 | – | 665 |
| 15. | Prairie View A&M | 344 | 340 | – | 684 |
 women’s golf team improved by 15 strokes from the first to the second round of the UTRGV Invitational on Monday to sit in fourth place after the first day at McAllen Country Club.){kind=link}