UA women’s golf team a winner again

The No. 1 ranked Arkansas Razorbacks women’s golf team wrapped up a dominating fall campaign with a runaway victory in tough conditions on Tuesday at the Maryb S. Kauth Invitational in San Antonio, Texas.

The Razorbacks, led by senior Alana Uriell, shot an even-par 288 on Tuesday to finish at 22 under, 18 strokes ahead of Texas A&M and TCU, which tied for second place. Arkansas defended its 2016 championship at the tournament, which is hosted by Texas-San Antonio.

“I’m really proud of our group,” Coach Shauna Estes-Taylor said after the thirdbest tournament score in Arkansas history. “It was a tough golf course today with the wind blowing, but we persevered.

“It says a lot about this group of young ladies and their fight. It is the best fall we’ve had since I’ve been at Arkansas and we are heading in the right direction. I also know that we have things we can tidy up to keep improving.”

The Razorbacks won three of their four fall tournaments, also capturing the Mason Rudolph Championship and the Annika Intercollegiate, and finished fourth in the 18-team Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational. It is the third time in school history Arkansas has won three tournaments in a season.

Uriell, the 2016 medalist at the Maryb S. Kauth, kept her hot streak going with a 4-under 68, which included six birdies, to lead the Razorbacks. Uriell, of Carlsbad, Calif., carded back-to-back 68s after an opening round 72 and tied for second place with Texas A&M’s Maddie Szeryk, one stroke behind medalist Connie Jaffrey of Kansas State.

Arkansas’ Dylan Kim finished alone in fifth place with a score of 5 under. This was the third top-5 finish for Kim in her first year with the Razorbacks.

Junior Maria Fassi tied for sixth place at 4 under with Auburn’s Kelli Murphy.

Junior Cara Gorlei tied for 17th place at 3 over par, and junior Kaylee Benton tied for 28th at 4 over. Arkansas freshman Maria Hoyos, playing as an individual, also shot 4 over for the tournament after a second-consecutive 2-under 70.

“A 4-under par in this wind was extremely impressive,” Estes-Taylor said of Uriell. “The rest of the group had to fight their tails off all day. Dylan (Kim) did a great job. I know she didn’t finish the way she wanted to, but she was very solid all day long.

“Maria [Hoyos] — one of my goals was to provide an opportunity for learning and getting experience that you can’t create at home. I’m really proud of her last two rounds.”

Denver finished in fourth place, 28 shots behind the Razorbacks at 6 over, followed by Oklahoma (+9), Houston (+10), Kansas State (+14), Maryland (+16), Auburn (+19) and host Texas-San Antonio (+23) in the top 10.

As a program, Arkansas has 22 team titles and 110 top5 finishes.