Texas Border Business
McALLEN, Texas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women’s golf team battled through the weather to remain in contention after the first day of the UTRGV Invitational on Monday at McAllen Country Club.
Despite a cold front making its way through in the middle of the first round that dropped the temperatures nearly 20 degrees and brought a constant drizzle with wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour, UTRGV’s first team is tied for seventh and is just eight shots off the lead held by Texas A&M-Corpus Christi.
The Vaqueros opened with a first round 306 that put them in second place after the first round but a second round 322 dropped them into a tie for seventh with Drake for a two-round total of 628. UTRGV’s second team is in 16th place with a two-round total of 736 with rounds of 369 and 367.
Sophomore Samantha Garza led the Vaqueros with a two-round total of 155 as she sits tied for 14th. Garza opened with a first round 79 before shaving off three strokes for a second round 76 and is six shots back off the lead held by Drake’s Haeri Lee.
Sophomores Sophia Tejeda and Mercedes Vega are tied for 21st with two-round totals of 157. Tejeda started off with a first round even-par 72 that saw her post a front nine six-under par 30 with four birdies, an eagle, and four pars before posting a 36 on the back nine. Tejeda then followed with a second round 85. Vega opened with a first round 75 before posting a second round 82.
Freshman Maria Jose Ramirez sits in 28th place with a two-round total of 159 after posting rounds of 80 and 79 while freshman and Edinburg High alum Madi Ozuna is tied for 61st with a two-round total of 169 after rounds of 83 and 86.
Graduate student Rachel Yu is tied for 69th with a two-round total of 174 after posting rounds of 92 and 82. Freshman Mason Rawls is in 71st with a two-round total of 175 with rounds of 86 and 89.
Junior Blayke Van Houten is in 77th with a two-round total of 189 with rounds of 96 and 93 and freshman Catherine Flores is in 78th with two-round total of 198 after rounds of 95 and 103.
Results
UTRGV ‘A’
| Place | Golfer | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Total |
| T-14. | Samantha Garza | 79 | 76 | – | 155 |
| T-21. | Sophia Tejeda | 72 | 85 | – | 157 |
| T-21. | Mercedes Vega | 75 | 82 | – | 157 |
| 28. | Maria Jose Ramirez | 80 | 79 | – | 159 |
| T-61. | Madi Ozuna | 83 | 86 | – | 169 |
UTRGV ‘B’
| Place | Golfer | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Total |
| T-69. | Rachel Yu | 92 | 82 | – | 174 |
| 71. | Mason Rawls | 86 | 89 | – | 175 |
| 77. | Blayke Van Houten | 96 | 93 | – | 189 |
| 78. | Catherine Flores | 95 | 103 | – | 198 |
| Place | Team | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Total |
| 1. | Corpus Christi | 307 | 313 | – | 620 |
| 2. | Lamar | 305 | 318 | – | 623 |
| T-3. | Houston Baptist | 311 | 314 | – | 625 |
| T-3. | Illinois State | 312 | 313 | – | 625 |
| 5. | Utah Valley | 314 | 312 | – | 626 |
| 6. | Creighton | 315 | 312 | – | 627 |
| T-7. | UTRGV | 306 | 322 | – | 628 |
| T-7. | Drake | 313 | 315 | – | 628 |
| 9. | Omaha | 317 | 313 | – | 630 |
| 10. | Incarnate Word | 316 | 315 | – | 631 |
| 11. | Stephen F. Austin | 320 | 322 | – | 642 |
| T-12. | North Dakota | 327 | 319 | – | 646 |
| T-12. | Tarleton | 321 | 325 | – | 646 |
| 14. | Texas Southern | 319 | 330 | – | 649 |
| 15. | Texas A&M-Kingsville | 353 | 345 | – | 698 |
| 16. | UTRGV ‘B’ | 369 | 367 | – | 698 |
