Ainhoa Olarra Leads Gamecocks To FSU Match-Up Title
Feb. 10, 2018
1. Ainhoa Olarra Round 1: 66 Round 2: 69 Round 3: 71 To Par: -10 Place: 1 |
2. Lois Kaye Go Round 1: 66 Round 2: 77 Round 3: 71 To Par: -2 Place: T10 |
3. Anita Uwadia Round 1: 70 Round 2: 73 Round 3: 72 To Par: -1 Place: T12 |
4. Ana Pelaez Round 1: 71 Round 2: 72 Round 3: 73 To Par: E Place: T15 |
5. Marion Veysseyre Round 1: 76 Round 2: 74 Round 3: 73 To Par: +7 Place: T34 |
No. 7 Women’s Golf at FSU Match-Up
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — No. 7 South Carolina women’s golf posted a final-round 287 (-1) en route to a wire-to-wire victory at the 2018 Florida State Match-Up Saturday at the Don Veller Seminole Course.
Senior standout Ainhoa Olarra won her first career individual title after totaling a 54-hole mark of 206 (-10). The Gamecocks, who opened the two-day event with a program-record 273 (-15) in the first round, tallied their second victory at the FSU Match-Up after totaling an 848 (-16). Carolina won the event in 2014 with a three-round score of 871 (+7).
Saturday’s result marked the first win of the season for the Gamecocks.
Olarra broke par for the third-straight round on the final day of competition, firing a 1-under 71. She began her day with eight-consecutive pars before making a birdie on the par-5 ninth to make the turn at 1-under 35. The San Sebastian, Spain, native collected a birdie on Nos. 10 and 15 before recording pars over two of her final three holes.
Gamecock sophomore Lois Kaye Go (T10) grabbed a top-10 finish at the FSU Match-Up after posting a final-round 71 (-1). Go was steady in round three, recording 15 pars to go with birdies on Nos. 1 and 5. She totaled a 54-hole mark of 214 (-2) and finished the tournament with 13 birdies.
Anita Uwadia carded an even 72 Saturday to finish in a tie for 12th at 1-under 215. The Okoko, Nigeria, native made the turn at 2-under 34 and added her third birdie of the day on the par-5 10th. Uwadia finished par or better in two of her three rounds at the FSU Match-Up.
Sophomore Ana Pelaez marked the fourth Gamecock to finish inside the top 15, as she tied for 15th with a 54-hole score of 216 (E). The Malaga, Spain, native recovered from a pair of early bogeys Saturday with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 4 and 5. She turned in a 1-over 73 in the final round after closing her weekend with a par on No. 18.
Marion Veysseyre enjoyed her best outing of the tournament Saturday, shooting a 1-over 73. The Gamecock junior, who finished tied for 34th at 7-over 233, notched birdies on Nos. 1, 13 and 15 in the final round.
No. 13 Michigan State placed second with a 54-hole total of 853 (-11), while Coastal Carolina and No. 16 Virginia shared third-place honors after totaling an 855 (-9) for the tournament.
QUOTING COACH Kalen Anderson
“Overall, this is a great way to start the spring season, with a team win. We have a solid starting point and certainly have to sharpen some areas individually. I’m very proud of Ainhoa for a well-deserved individual win. We’re looking forward to building on this first event.”
ROUND CHANGER Ainhoa Olarra
Ainhoa Olarra used a steady start Saturday to claim a two-shot individual victory at the FSU Match-Up. The senior registered nine pars and two birdies over her first 11 holes in the final round.
NOTABLE
- The Gamecocks earned their 11th tournament victory under coach Kalen Anderson with Saturday’s win at the Florida State Match-Up.
- Carolina boasted the best par-3 (3.03) and par-4 (4.10) scoring average at the FSU Match-Up this weekend.
- Gamecock senior Ainhoa Olarra became the 18th golfer in program history to garner medalist honors.
- Lois Kaye Go‘s showing at the FSU Match-Up resulted in her first career top-10 finish for the Gamecocks.
UP NEXT
The Gamecocks resume their spring slate next month when they host the 2018 Darius Rucker Intercollegiate in Hilton Head Island, S.C. The 54-hole event, which will again be contested at Long Cove Club, takes place March 2-4.