RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — Lauren Rios fired a 73 on Monday to highlight UTSA action on the second day of the Puerto Rico Classic at Grand Reserve Golf Club (par 72/6,305 yards).
Rios wrote down a pair of birdies during her 1-over-par round on Monday. The Coppell, Texas, native opened the day with a birdie on her first hole, the 533-yard, par-5 18th. She then reeled off three consecutive pars before posting a three on the 486-yard fourth. Rios, who missed the fall season due to an injury, dropped back to 1-under on the ensuing hole and eventually ended up at 1-over for the round with 10 pars and a pair of bogeys down the stretch. The 73 was a six-stroke improvement from Sunday’s opening 18 and moved her into a tie for 79th at 8-over 152. It also marked her best score since she registered a 2-under 68 in the final round of the 2022 Schooner Fall Classic.
Morgan Ellison continues to lead the UTSA lineup through 36 holes, as the senior is in a tie for 63rd at 6-over 150. She posted a 76 on Monday on the strength of a birdie on the 136-yard, par-3 11th hole after opening with a 74 on Sunday.
Olivia Williams and Maria Bastarrica have a share of 79th, along with Rios, at 8-over par. Williams turned in a 75 on Monday that featured a birdie on No. 11, while Bastarrica followed a 75 on Sunday with a 77 today.
Daniela Abonce rounds out the UTSA lineup in a tie for 87th. The junior bounced back from an 81 with a 2-over 74 on Monday that included birdies on No. 11 and the 18th as well as on the 359-yard, par-4 third hole.
The Roadrunners are 17th in the team standings with a 305-298—603, four shots ahead of UNC Wilmington and only two behind Kent State.
N0. 15 Vanderbilt leads the team race with a 565, followed by No. 19 Ole Miss (570) and second-ranked Arkansas (572), No. 9 Northwestern (573), No. 20 Auburn (580) and 16th-ranked LSU (580) in the field that includes a dozen top-50 teams.
The final round is scheduled for a 5:30 a.m. Central time shotgun start on Tuesday.
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