Gile Bite Starkute shot a team-best 71, and the Arizona women’s golf team held steady at sixth place at the NCAA Regionals on Tuesday in Albuquerque. The UA is 12-under heading into Wednesday’s final round; the top four teams advance.
The Wildcats are tied with Sam Houston State for sixth; the two teams are four strokes behind fifth-place Florida and five strokes behind fourth-place TCU. Louisville looms three strokes behind the UA and SHSU.
Starkute opened Tuesday’s round by shooting 11 consecutive pars, then birdied the 373-yard 12th hole. She finished without a bogey for the first time in her college career.
Freshman Carolina Melgrati shot a second-round 74, and sits tied for eighth place individually at 1-over heading into the final round. Sophomore Maya Benita sits tied for 21st with a 3-over 147, and Starkute is tied for 28th with a 4-over 148. Llias Pinthier is in 33rd place at 6 over, and Ya Chun Chang is tied for 44th with an 8 over 152. Chang second-round score of 74 was four strokes better than her first-round performance.
Widlats coach Laura Ianello said Tuesday marked “a steady round for us with a lot of good shot selection and execution by our team.”
“We focused on limiting the mistakes from round one, and I feel like we accomplished that this morning,” she added. “We are right in the thick of things for the final advancing spots heading into tomorrow’s final round, which means we have put ourselves in a position to be successful.”
Wednesday’s final round starts at 7 a.m. from the UNM Championship Course in Albuquerque.
