GAINESVILLE, Fla. – No. 17 Arizona Women’s Golf started the Gators Invitational in dominating fashion through 30 holes before play was called to darkness. The Wildcats ended their day in first place at 9-under par with a 12-stroke lead over second-place Clemson. By the time teams left the Mark Bostick Golf Course, Arizona’s Gile Bite Starkute sat alone in second place on the individual leaderboard at 4-under after an opening round of 3-under with six holes remaining in her second round.
“Today was an outstanding start for our entire team, and I am proud of how our young ladies executed our gameplan and played with poise,” said head coach Laura Ianello. “We got great scores throughout the day from all five of our golfers, and I was proud to see each one show determination and focus to card good scores. Now our challenge is to keep it going and retain our confidence through an uncertain schedule with inclement weather. That is our mission for the rest of the tournament, and I believe this team is ready to rise to the occasion.”
Starkute’s 3-under round of 70 in the morning came after a hot start as the graduate senior shot 2-under on the front nine and 1-under on the back. With two birdies and just one bogey through the first 12 holes of her second round, Starkute will resume play just one stroke behind the tournament’s leader, Caitlyn Macnab of Ole Miss.
Junior Carolina Melgrati ended Friday’s opening action one stroke behind Starkute in a tie for third place. After a morning eagle on the par-4, ninth hole, Melgrati shot even par for her morning round. The Italian caught fire in the afternoon, sinking three birdies without a bogey on the scorecard through 13 holes.
The remainder of the Arizona line up all finished in a tie for eleventh place at 1-over par. Charlotte Back, Julia Misemer and Nena Wongthanavimok gave the Wildcats five golfers in the top 12 of the individual leaderboard.
Play is scheduled to resume on Saturday morning at 8 a.m. local time in Florida as all 14 teams will look to complete their second rounds and begin the final round.
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