TicketsPALM COAST, Fla. – University of Cincinnati women's golf junior Daniela Murcia (Bogotá, Colombia) carded a 2-under-par score of 70 on Sunday to lead the Bearcats in the first round of the American Athletic Conference Women's Golf Championship at the Conservatory Course at Hammock Beach Resort.
The junior's first-round score is just one shot off the lead as she sits in a tie for second place. As a team, the Bearcats turned in a sub-300 opening round with a 299 -- their third-lowest round of the spring – to move into sixth place.
Murcia's career-best round started strong with a birdie and seven par scores on the front nine holes. It followed with a 2-under-par back nine -- featuring a pair of birdies -- to move up the leaderboard.
The native Colombian's stellar performance was accompanied by other solid showings by UC golfers including sophomore Angela Lopez (Bogotá, Colombia) carding a 75 to tie for 19th with a 2-under-par back nine, while junior Alyssa Burritt (Bellbrook, Ohio/Bellbrook) scored a 76 -- featuring 12 par scores – to move into a tie for 28th.
For Monday's second round, the Bearcats will be paired with SMU and will begin teeing off at 9:20 a.m. ET. Follow along with live scoring here. See round two pairings here.
// COACH CARL ON THE BEARCATS
"Today was a good day for the lady Bearcats. There were windy conditions which made course play tough for everybody. It felt like the ladies did a great job of fighting to the finish and not giving in. The Bearcats are ready to come back tomorrow, focus on their process, and let the results take care of themselves. I'm proud of Daniela and her first day of conference competition. Every one of the ladies can post that same performance tomorrow. We need to take the position we have put ourselves in and do it again tomorrow. Today was a total team effort and it is fun to see this team coming together and competing as a team."
// PLAYER RESULTS
Scoring Team
T2. Daniela Murcia -- 70
T19. Angela Lopez -- 75
T28. Alyssa Burritt -- 76
T41. Vanessa Manrique -- 78
T43. Anika Hitt -- 79
// TEAM STANDINGS
1. Houston – 287 (-1)
2. UCF -- 294 (+6)
3. South Florida -- 295 (+7)
4. East Carolina – 296 (+8)
5. SMU -- 298 (+10)
6. Cincinnati -- 299 (+11)
7. Tulsa -- 301 (+13)
8. Wichita State – 302 (+14)
9. Memphis -- 304 (+16)
10. Tulane – 305 (+17)
The junior's first-round score is just one shot off the lead as she sits in a tie for second place. As a team, the Bearcats turned in a sub-300 opening round with a 299 -- their third-lowest round of the spring – to move into sixth place.
Murcia's career-best round started strong with a birdie and seven par scores on the front nine holes. It followed with a 2-under-par back nine -- featuring a pair of birdies -- to move up the leaderboard.
The native Colombian's stellar performance was accompanied by other solid showings by UC golfers including sophomore Angela Lopez (Bogotá, Colombia) carding a 75 to tie for 19th with a 2-under-par back nine, while junior Alyssa Burritt (Bellbrook, Ohio/Bellbrook) scored a 76 -- featuring 12 par scores – to move into a tie for 28th.
For Monday's second round, the Bearcats will be paired with SMU and will begin teeing off at 9:20 a.m. ET. Follow along with live scoring here. See round two pairings here.
// COACH CARL ON THE BEARCATS
"Today was a good day for the lady Bearcats. There were windy conditions which made course play tough for everybody. It felt like the ladies did a great job of fighting to the finish and not giving in. The Bearcats are ready to come back tomorrow, focus on their process, and let the results take care of themselves. I'm proud of Daniela and her first day of conference competition. Every one of the ladies can post that same performance tomorrow. We need to take the position we have put ourselves in and do it again tomorrow. Today was a total team effort and it is fun to see this team coming together and competing as a team."
// PLAYER RESULTS
Scoring Team
T2. Daniela Murcia -- 70
T19. Angela Lopez -- 75
T28. Alyssa Burritt -- 76
T41. Vanessa Manrique -- 78
T43. Anika Hitt -- 79
// TEAM STANDINGS
1. Houston – 287 (-1)
2. UCF -- 294 (+6)
3. South Florida -- 295 (+7)
4. East Carolina – 296 (+8)
5. SMU -- 298 (+10)
6. Cincinnati -- 299 (+11)
7. Tulsa -- 301 (+13)
8. Wichita State – 302 (+14)
9. Memphis -- 304 (+16)
10. Tulane – 305 (+17)