BRYAN — Led by junior Paola Valerio, the UTSA women’s golf team improved its opening-day score by seven shots and sits in a tie for seventh place with a 617 (312-305) after two rounds of The “Mo”Morial, which is being hosted by Texas A&M University at Traditions Golf Club.
The Mexico City native carded her first under-par round of the season with a 71, giving her a 36-hole score of 150 (79-71). The performance put her into a tie for 10th heading into Tuesday’s final round. Through five holes, she sat 2-over-par, but the 2011 Southland Conference Player of the Year righted the ship with a birdie on No. 6 and played spotless golf the rest of the afternoon. Valerio birdied Nos. 10 and 14 to finish two-under on the back nine, which helped her record the second-best round of the day.
Sophomore Fabiola Arriaga finished her round tied for 16th (75-77=152) following her second-round 77. She shot even par through the first six holes before a bogey on No. 8. Her lone a birdie came on the 10th hole.
After shooting six-over-par on the front nine, fellow sophomore Taylor Newlin rebounded by shooting even par on the back with a birdie on No. 13 to finish with a 78 for the second day in a row. Her 36-hole total of 156 (78-78) is good for 31st place.
Senior Summer Batiste recorded a pair of birdies and improved her first round total by a stroke to 79, while senior Shannon Jungman carded an 82.
Oklahoma currently shares seventh place with UTSA and the Roadrunners remain one stroke behind No. 20 Texas A&M and 29th-ranked Florida State.
Texas jumped to the top of the team leaderboard after posting a 290. The Longhorns’ Nicole Vandermade is in a three-way tie for first with Auburn’s Carlie Yadloczky and Jacey Chun of North Texas at 143.
The final round will begin with an 8:30 a.m. shotgun start on Tuesday.
