UCF wins the team title at Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate
October 17, 2023 | by Amit Pandey of AmateurGolf.com
see also: Molly Smith, View results for Mercedes Benz Intercollegiate, Cherokee Country Club
Molly Smith of UCF registers a wire-to-wire victory in just her third collegiate tournament.
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.
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.
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.
Results: Mercedes Benz Intercollegiate
| Place | Player | Location | Pts | Scores |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Westford, MA | 600 | 66-70-65=201 | |
| 2 | , Thailand | 400 | 70-67-69=206 | |
| 3 | , Japan | 300 | 69-69-70=208 | |
| T4 | , Thailand | 300 | 69-71-69=209 | |
| T4 | , France | 300 | 69-71-69=209 |
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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