It’s a quick turnaround for the Chattanooga Mocs women’s golf team. Fresh off a ninth-place finish Tuesday at the Mercedes-Benz Collegiate in Knoxville, the ladies return to the tee Friday for the three-day, 54-hole Mason Rudolph Championships.
The Vanderbilt Legends Club hosts the annual event which always features a fantastic field. This one is no different. In addition to an emerging Chattanooga program are top-rated squads from Alabama, Northwestern, Virginia and host Vanderbilt.
The Mocs ninth-place finish earlier this week was against a similarly strong cast of opponents.
Solid wins over Wake Forest and Ole Miss highlighted the performance. The 874 (+22) total was the lowest season-opening score in program history.
Holly Morgan (72.67 scoring average) led the way. Her 218 (+5) was the best 54-hole score by a Mocs freshman in their debut event and second lowest by a newcomer behind Kelly Brotherton’s 216 (E) winning the program’s inaugural event, the 2007 Chris Banister Gamecock Classic.
Juniors Cristina Perez (73.00), Megan Woods (73.00) and sophomore Monica San Juan (74.00) are back in the lineup. Freshmen Maria Pineiro (73.00), whose 2-under 69 is the lowest opening round by a UTC newcomer, and Maddy McDanel (77.33) flip roles with Pineiro entering the starting lineup and McDanel playing as an individual this weekend.
“That was the plan we set going into the prior tournament,” Murray concluded. “The top 5 finishers qualified for Vanderbilt with the sixth getting another opportunity as an individual. It’s a very competitive, respectful atmosphere.”
McDanel leads off No. 10 Friday morning at 10:45 a.m., Eastern time, playing with individuals from Vanderbilt and Baylor. The team, paired with Troy and Yale, starts its day 10 minutes later Pineiro followed by Morgan, San Juan, Woods and Perez.
This is the Mocs fourth entry in the event finishing 13th in 2008, 14th in 2012 and seventh in 2014. C