RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico — Led by an even-par scorecard from Morgan Ellison, UTSA moved up the leaderboard on the final day of the Puerto Rico Classic, which wrapped up Tuesday at Grand Reserve Golf Club (par 72/6,305 yards).
Entering the day in 17th place, the Roadrunners registered their best team round of the week with a 6-over-par 294 to climb two spots into a share of 15th with No. 42 Minnesota in a field that included a dozen top-50 teams. UTSA finished with an 897 (305-298-294), four shots ahead of Kent State (901) and 14 in front of UNC Wilmington (911).
Ellison carded UTSA’s best score of the tournament with a 72 behind three birdies on Tuesday. The senior started her final round on No. 15 and bounced back from a bogey on No. 17 with a birdie on the 533-yard, par-5 18th. She then immediately countered her second bogey of the day with a four on the 493-yard second before negating a bogey on the 10th with a birdie on the 136-yard, par-3 11th. The Peachtree City, Georgia, native closed with three consecutive pars to give her 41 for the week, tied for the third-best total in the field of 100 players.
After opening with rounds of 74 and 76, Ellison posted her fourth par-or-better round of the season and finished with a share of 46th at 6-over 222 to pace the Roadrunners in their first trip to Puerto Rico.
A trio of Roadrunners ended up as part of a five-way tie for 71st at 10-over 154.
Playing in her first event since the 2023 Conference USA Championship, Lauren Rios opened with a 79 before posting a 1-over 73 on Monday. The Coppell, Texas, native closed with a 74 on Tuesday on the strength of birdies on the 359-yard, par-4 third and 372-yard, par-4 10th holes, finishing the week at 1-over on the par fours.
Olivia Williams finished her week with her best round of the tournament, a 2-over 74 that featured birdies on the 159-yard, par-3 eighth and the 143-yard, par-3 16th holes. The junior from England started with a 77 and then turned in a two-shot improvement on Monday to end up at 10-over par.
Maria Bastarrica also grabbed a share of 71st after logging a 74 on Tuesday behind birdies on the third and fifth holes. The sophomore from Spain began her week with a 75 and then bounced back from a 77 on Monday with a 2-over scorecard today.
Daniela Abonce registered her second straight 74, which was highlighted by a trio of birdies, all on the front side of the course. The junior from Mexico moved up six places into a tie for 81st at 13-over 229.
Second-ranked Arkansas captured the team title with a 19-under 845, followed by no. 15 Vanderbilt and No. 19 Ole Miss in a tie for second at 6-under par.
Arkansas’ Maria Jose Marin claimed the individual crown with a 9-under 207 (71-68-68).
The Roadrunners will return to the course on Feb. 24-25 when they travel to the Golf Club of Houston for the Chevron Collegiate.
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