The Gators shot a round one score of 287 (-1) are in fourth and just a few shots behind the top-3 of USC (-7), Pepperdine (-5) and Northwestern (-4). Behind Florida is Denver (+2) in fifth as the top-5 teams at the end of play on Wednesday advance to the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa from May 17-22 in Carlsbad, Calif.
Round two starts at 8 a.m. for the Gators and are paired with Denver and Oklahoma State (T6, +3). The second round tee times were pushed up an hour due to expected inclement weather tomorrow afternoon.
UF got off to a great start at Forest Akers West Golf Course and held a T2 placement when making the turn at 3-under. Jackie Lucena led the attack, making the turn bogey-free at 3-under. She shot a solid round of 72 (E) and is tied for 19th. Florida then had a shaky back nine, dropping back to even par between holes 10-15.
The group regathered itself and Filler’s birdie on 17 (par5, 477) dropped the Gators back under par. She recorded her team-leading 13th under par round with a 71 (-1) and is tied for 12th. The performance also is her seventh par or better round out of 10 all-time in regional competition. She carded a tournament-leading 15 pars, two birdies and a bogey in her opening 18 holes.
Also tied for 12th with Filler is Archer. The freshman, Archer, began the morning with her first of a team-high four birdies. Playing in the No. 1 spot, she then went bogey on the next hole and repeated the two-hole stretch on eight & nine (birdie-bogey) and 11 & 12 (birdie-bogey). An SEC All-Freshman team selection, she knocked down her final birdie on 13 and made par to close out for a 71 (-1).
The second first-year Gator in the lineup was Paula Francisco. She was Florida’s final counting score with a round of 73 (+1). Francisco is tied with Filler for a tournament-best 15 pars and was one of three UF golfers to make birdie on 13.
Rounding out the lineup was Marina Escobar’s 78 (+6) and is tied for T54.
..
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Florida Gators…