UCF Challenge: North Carolina starts the spring season strong with a wire-to-wire win

February 6, 2024 | by Amit Pandey of AmateurGolf.com

North Carolina Women's Golf Team (North Carolina Athletics photo)

Lauren Zaretsky of Texas Tech used an opening round 8-under 64 to win the individual competition by three shots

The North Carolina Women’s team Golf team secured a team win behind an impressive 18-under 846. Their rounds of 279-280-287 led to a five-shot win at the UCF Challenge held at Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, Fla.

Kansas finished in second place with a total score of 13-under 851, following rounds of 287-285-279.

This marked UNC's second team championship in as many starts. In October 2023, the final competition of the fall segment of the 2023-24 schedule, the Tar Heels finished on top of the four-team St Andrews Links Collegiate at the Old Course in Scotland.

UNC's 18-under 846 stands as the second-best 54-hole total in Carolina women's golf history for both the fewest strokes and the most strokes below par.

In the individual competition, Texas Tech sophomore Lauren Zaretsky claimed victory with rounds of 64-71-68, finishing 13-under to win by three shots. Molly Smith of Central Florida secured the runner-up position at 10-under after shooting rounds of 68-68-70.

Zaretsky recorded 15 total birdies across all three tournament rounds, which was tied for the most, along with three other players. Most of her success throughout the competition was found on par-4's, where she scored 6-under-par, and par-5's, where she recorded a cumulative score of 7-under-par.

UNC sophomore Megan Streicher achieved a notable performance, carding rounds of 64-72-73. She set the all-time 18-hole school record with an 8-under 64 on Saturday, finishing 7-under and trailing Zaletsky by six strokes.

Streicher's T4 represents her best career placement as a Tar Heel. Her 209 total equals her best 54-hole total as a Tar Heel.

Originally scheduled for Sunday through Tuesday, the tournament was moved a day forward due to weather forecasts. Consequently, the teams commenced the first round on Saturday.

Results: UCF Challenge

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Lauren Zaretsky	, Canada	600	64-71-68=203
2	Molly Smith	Westford, MA	400	68-68-70=206
3	Lily Hirst	, England	300	68-71-68=207
T4	Sara Byrne	, Ireland	300	70-70-69=209
T4	Megan Streicher	, South Africa	300	64-72-73=209

View full results for UCF Challenge

About the UCF Challenge

UCF Challenge: North Carolina starts the spring season strong with a wire-to-wire win

54-hole stroke play event hosted by the University of Central Florida women's golf team. Team (best four scores of five players) and individual competitions.