Texas Border Business
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) Vaqueros women’s golf team posted a program record three-round score of 890 to finish in fourth place at the 2022 Islander Classic on Tuesday at Brackenridge Park Golf Course.
The Vaqueros shattered the previous program record of 904 that was set at the Pat Bradley Invitational in the fall of 2019.
UTRGV started the day by wrapping up the second round, which was suspended on Monday due to darkness, with a score of 302. The Vaqueros came roaring back in the final round with single-round program record of 288, which broke the previous program record of 293 that was also set in the first round of the 2019 Pat Bradley Invitational.
The Vaqueros finished just six shots behind Wofford for the tournament title as they finished with three-round score of 884. UTRGV finished five shots back of Houston Baptist for second and four shots behind Texas A&M-Corpus Christi for third, which gives Corpus Christi three-points in the South Texas Showdown, presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union.
Junior and Brownsville Veterans alum Julie Lucio led the Vaqueros with a three-round 219, which is tied for the second lowest individual three-round score in program history, as she finished tied for sixth place. Lucio wrapped up her second round with her second-straight 74 before posting a final round even par 71.
Sophomore Samantha Garza finished tied for 10th place as she posted a three-round score of 222. Garza posted a second round 78 before shaving off eight strokes in the final round with a one-under par 70, which is tied for the sixth lowest round in program history.
Sophomore Sophia Tejeda tied for 16th place with a three-round score of 225 after posting three-straight rounds of 75. Freshman Maria Jose Ramirez posted a three-round score of 229 to finish tied for 24th after carding a second round 80 and improving with a final round one-over par 72.
Graduate student Rachel Yu finished tied for 42nd with a three-round score of 233 after posting a second round 75 and a final round 76 while sophomore Mercedes Vega, who played as an individual, finished tied for 61st with a three-round score of 238 after a second round 78 and a final round. 75.
The Vaqueros will be back in action on February 28 when they tee it up at the GCU Invitational in Phoenix, Arizona. The next event in the South Texas Showdown, presented by Navy Army Community Credit Union, will be at the UTRGV Invitational from March 7-8 at McAllen Country Club.
Results
| Place | Golfer | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Total |
| T-6. | Julie Lucio | 74 | 74 | 71 | 219 |
| T-10. | Samantha Garza | 74 | 78 | 70 | 222 |
| T-16. | Sophia Tejeda | 75 | 75 | 75 | 225 |
| T-24. | Maria Jose Ramirez | 77 | 80 | 72 | 229 |
| T-42. | Rachel Yu | 82 | 75 | 76 | 233 |
| T-61. | Mercedes Vega* | 85 | 78 | 75 | 238 |
*Playing as an individual
| Place | Team | Rd 1 | Rd 2 | Rd 3 | Total |
| 1. | Wofford | 294 | 302 | 288 | 884 |
| 2. | Houston Baptist | 292 | 306 | 287 | 885 |
| 3. | Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | 290 | 298 | 298 | 886 |
| 4. | UTRGV | 300 | 302 | 288 | 890 |
| 5. | Creighton | 302 | 305 | 299 | 906 |
| 6. | Texas Wesleyan | 309 | 307 | 298 | 914 |
| 7. | Weber State | 305 | 311 | 303 | 919 |
| 8. | CSU Northridge | 311 | 304 | 305 | 920 |
| 9. | Delaware State | 318 | 303 | 303 | 924 |
| 10. | North Dakota | 312 | 304 | 311 | 927 |
| 11. | Stephen F. Austin | 308 | 315 | 308 | 931 |
| 12. | Tarleton | 311 | 317 | 311 | 939 |
| 13. | Omaha | 319 | 321 | 304 | 944 |
| T-14. | Drake | 314 | 316 | 318 | 948 |
| T-14. | Southern Illinois | 309 | 318 | 321 | 948 |
| 16. | McLennan CC | 316 | 328 | 318 | 962 |
| 17. | St. Thomas | 351 | 327 | 327 | 1005 |
| 18. | Prairie View A&M | 389 | 374 | 350 | 1113 |
