UF WGOLF: Escobar, Fuller Lead Gators to Third Place Finish in Day One of Regionals

Florida finished even on the day and is four strokes back from the lead.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Marina Escobar and Annabell Fuller led the Florida women’s golf team to a third-place finish on day one of the NCAA Albuquerque Regional on Monday.

The Gators shot even (288) on the day and trail second-place Texas (287) by a stroke and leader Oregon (284) by four through the first 18 holes at UNM Championship Course. Two more rounds of stroke play remain as the top-4 teams and top two individuals from a non-qualifying team advance to the NCAA Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club.

Escobar and Fuller both recorded under-par rounds for career bests in Regional play as they were one of 12 golfers to shoot under. Escobar started strong with four birdies through the first five holes to put the Gators 6-under and up by three strokes. She went 3-under on the front and carded a clean back nine to shoot a 68 (-4) to sit tied for 2nd. The round was one stroke away from her career-low she last set in round one of the SEC Championship this year. The native of Almeria, Spain, is tied for a tournament-high six birdies.

The top three seeds – No. 1 Oregon, No. 2 Florida and No. 3 Texas – battled all day trading the lead throughout the round. All three will be paired again with each tomorrow.

Fuller erased an early bogey on two with a birdie on three en route to three birdies and nine pars for the next 12 holes. She capped off her birthday with a birdie on 18 to post a 69 (-3) for her seventh round in the 60s this season.

At the turn, the Gators owned the top of the leaderboard at 2-under before the Ducks and Longhorns jumped back ahead. Briana Chacon of Oregon gave them a boost behind her round of 65 (-7), which set a new course record for NCAA postseason play.

Clara Manzalini cracks the top-25 at T21 followed by Maisie Filler tied for 47th and Jackie Lucena T57.

The Gators tee off round two tomorrow at 11:06 a.m. ET on hole one.

Scores
Florida Individual
Place

Player

Round 1

Marina Escobar<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14531&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=qiKdHH0Xjc1KnPrFyt8G-f0egp9x4UFhX7ejXtdHSuhYzg6zMtrdrAGwOasScxPS&s=0QImYsh2Ohb40n5k-uQHBLQb4THHBWmtf_kkI1e-xg8&e= >

68 (-4)

Annabell Fuller<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14534&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=qiKdHH0Xjc1KnPrFyt8G-f0egp9x4UFhX7ejXtdHSuhYzg6zMtrdrAGwOasScxPS&s=6BZyTKR7-RQ5fSphTwdAbUmBcbsexBQo5NeVleMI8rw&e= >

69 (-3)

T21

Clara Manzalini<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__floridagators.com_roster.aspx-3Frp-5Fid-3D14536&d=DwIFAg&c=sJ6xIWYx-zLMB3EPkvcnVg&r=o5LKAX7slotfFMyE71jI7L22NYBIi1-KbRGNSXudTPo&m=qiKdHH0Xjc1KnPrFyt8G-f0egp9x4UFhX7ejXtdHSuhYzg6zMtrdrAGwOasScxPS&s=5S8ixfS559yC3ZUujUO85G1SiXZ3jcDV3EFh9oB1Xpg&e= >

74 (+2)