UCF wins the team title at Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate
UCF Women's Golf Team (UCF Athletics Photo)
Molly Smith, a freshman at UCF, shot 12-under 201 with rounds of 66-70-65 to win her first collegiate victory, propelling the UCF women's golf team to their second consecutive tournament win this season at the Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate, hosted at the Cherokee Country Club in Knoxville, TN.
Smith, playing in her third collegiate event, fired a total score of 12-under 201 to register a win by a margin of five strokes over Manassanan Chotikabhukkana of Tennessee, who shot 70-67-69 to finish runners-up at 7-under 206.
The 201 is a new Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate record and the third-best 54-hole score in UCF history.
Smith headed into the final round with a narrow one-shot lead, having accumulated a total of 6-under 136 through rounds of 66 and 70. She produced her best performance when it mattered most, recording a total of eight birdies in the final round, including 6-under on the back nine.
Notably, Smith secured her individual victory with a remarkable string of five consecutive birdies on Holes No. 13 through 17 during the back nine. Smith led all competitors at the tournament with 15 birdies and her final-round 65 ties for the fifth-best 18-hole score in program history.
In the team competition, UCF, represented by Molly Smith, Jess Baker, Brittany Shin, Tunrada Piddon and Camille Banzet, posted rounds of 271-291-273 for a 12-stroke victory, securing a total score of 17-under 835.
The University of Mississippi took the runner-up spot with rounds of 284-285-278, finishing at 5-under 847.
Maryland and Pepperdine finished tied for third with their total scores of even-par 852.
ABOUT THE Mercedes Benz Intercollegiate
54 hole women's college
tournament hosted by the University of Tennessee.
Team (best four scores out of five players each
round)
and individual competitions.
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