BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. – The Florida women’s golf team jumped one place up the leaderboard by improving its score by 12 strokes in Saturday’s second round of the SEC Championship.
After opening the tournament Friday with a team score of 307 which left them in 10th place, coach Jill Briles-Hinton’s Gators totaled 295 Saturday at the par-71, 6,204-yard Cobblestone Park Golf Club to move into ninth place with a 34-over-par total of 602.
Sophomore Jessica Yadloczky, the only returning regular from last season’s SEC championship team, led the Gators with a second-round 71 that left her at 1-over-par 143, four shots behind leader Marta Silva of Georgia. Yadloczky was tied for fifth place.
“We made progress today,” Briles-Hinton said. “The team was focused on process instead of outcome which helps in tense situations. We continue to work on strengthening our weaknesses and maintaining our strengths to post a solid round tomorrow.”
The most improved golfer for Florida was freshman Evan Jensen, who improved seven strokes with a 1-over-par 72. Jensen is tied for 30th place at 9-over-par 151. Three strokes behind Jensen is fellow freshman Andrea Watts, who is currently tied for 38th place at 154. Watts followed an opening 79 with a 75. Nicole Schachner shot a 77 for 155 and was alone in 44th place. Redshirt sophomore Lauren Uzelatz carded a second-straight 78 for a 156 total and a share of 45th place.
Ten strokes separate the top six teams heading into Sunday’s final round. Arkansas shot a 3-over-par 287 and was at 14-over 582, three strokes ahead of Auburn (296-585) and five up on Louisiana State (286-587). Tennessee (293) is fourth at 588, three strokes ahead of fifth-place Alabama (291-591), which was one stroke ahead of sixth-place Georgia (292-592).
SEC WOMEN’S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. – Scores after Saturday’s second round at the par-71, 6,204-yard Cobblestone Park Golf Club in the Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Championship hosted by the University of South Carolina:
Team scores: 1. Arkansas 582 (295-287) (+14); 2. Auburn 585 (289-296) (+17); 3. Louisiana State 587 (301-286) (+19); 4. Tennessee 588 (295-293) (+20); 5. Alabama 591 (300-291) (+23); 6. Georgia 592 (300-292) (+24); T7. South Carolina 599 (296-300) (+31) and Mississippi 599 (301-298) (+31); 9. Florida 602 (307-295) (+34); 10. Vanderbilt 605 (304-301) (+37); 11. Kentucky 610 (313-297) (+42); 12. Mississippi State 625 (314-307) (+57).
Individual Top 10: 1. Marta Silva (Georgia) 72-67—139 (-3); 2. Lucy Nunn (Arkansas) 70-70—140 (-2); 3. Benedicte Toumpsin (South Carolina) 72-69—141 (-1); 4. Marina Alex (Vanderbilt) 73-69—142 (E); T5. Jessica Yadloczky (Florida) 72-71—143 (+1), Kathleen Ekey (Alabama) 73-70—143 (+1), Kristin Ingram (Arkansas) 73-70—143 (+1) and Mallory Hetzel (Georgia) 73-70—143 (+1); T9. Candace Schepperle (Auburn) 71-74—145 (+3) and Nicole Smith (Tennessee) 76-69—145 (+3).
Florida results: T5. Jessica Yadloczky 72-71—143 (+1); T30. Evan Jensen 79-72—151 (+9); T38. Andrea Watts 79-75—154 (+12); 44. Nicole Schachner 78-77—155 (+13); T45. Lauren Uzelatz 78-78—156 (+14).