OKATIE, S.C.- The Ave Maria University women's golf team competed against some of the top teams in the nation early this week, competing in the Monument Golf Oldfield Intercollegiate at the Oldfield Golf Club in South Carolina. The field included two top 20 programs in No. 5 SCAD and No. 19 USC Beaufort, as well as an NCAA Division I program in Long Island University and a junior college powerhouse in Eastern Florida State.
Eliana Tetzlaff and Andrea Quinonez led the Gyrenes in the first round, which saw AMU post a team score of 379. Both golfers carded an 88 in the opening round, and Tetzlaff's round included a birdie on the 492-yard 18th hole, a par five. Morgan Hicks followed with a 92, and carded a birdie of her own on the par four second hole. A 110 from Madeline Salvador was the fourth score counted by the Gyrenes in the opening round.
The Gyrenes improved their team score by three shots in the second round, with a team score of 376. The second round featured the best individual performance of the tournament by a Gyrene, as Hicks carded an 82. The freshman made eight pars during the round, including three straight on holes 11 through 13. Tetzlaff followed with a 91, and Quinonez carded a 94. Salvador's 109 rounded out the Gyrene team score in the second round.
Ave Maria's final round was their best of the tournament, with the AMU team score dropped nine more strokes to 367. Three Gyrenes had their best round of the event on Tuesday, led by Tetzlaff's 87. Hicks also posted an 87, while Quinonez carded a 92. Alexandria Henderson made her first appearance in the Gyrene team score with a 101, while Salvador, although not contributing to the team score, carded a 103, six strokes better than her best round on Monday.
Hicks was the top finisher overall for the Gyrenes, placing 36th with a 262. Tetzlaff was four strokes behind that at 266, with Quinonez the number three finisher at 274. Salvador's 322 and Henderson's 335 rounded out the Ave Maria effort at Oldfield, a course designed by Greg Norman.
SCAD-Savannah claimed the team title handily at Oldfield, winning by eight strokes over Eastern Florida State. The Bees led by 18 strokes entering Tuesday, but were able to hold off a comeback attempt from EFSC. The individual champion was USCB's Ashleigh Mead, who used a 67 in the second round to claim a three-shot victory over SCAD's Ariana Castro.
AMU will play in the state of Florida for the first time this season in their next tournament, the Saddlebrook Spring Kickoff in Wesley Chapel, Florida. Hosted by Walsh University, the Gyrenes will compete March 10-12 at the Arnold Palmer Signature Course in the Tampa area.
