BRYAN — Behind top-20 showings from Nikki Long and Brogan Townend, the UTSA women’s golf team tied for seventh place at this week's season-opening The “Mo”Morial, which wrapped up on Wednesday at Traditions Club (par 72/6,1589 yards).
Long tied for 16th place with an 8-over-par 224, while Townend was two shots back in a tie for 20th with a 226 to help the Roadrunners post a 909 (299-306-304) and tie with TCU in the 11-team field.
Long, a freshman from San Antonio Johnson High School, opened the 54-hole tournament with a 73 and then followed a 77 on Tuesday with a 74 in the final round. She posted seven birdies and played the par fours at 1-over during her collegiate debut.
Townend carded a 79 on Wednesday, a day after posting UTSA’s low round of the event, a 2-under 70. The Blackburn, England, native was right behind Long with six birdies and was plus one on the par fours during the three-day event.
Becky McGeehan registered the team’s best final round scorecard with an even-par 72 that was highlighted by six of her team-high 10 birdies. She tied for 25th with a 227 (75-80-72) in her first collegiate event. The freshman from Gutersloh, Germany, also led the Roadrunners and ranked 10th in the field by playing the par fives at one under.
Abby Portyrata, a freshman from North Chesterfield, Va., and Libby Thomas, a sophomore from Midland, rounded out the UTSA lineup in 40th (74-79-79—232) and 61st (82-83-85—250), respectively. Aimee Ponte, a sophomore from St. Sampson’s, U.K., tied for 46th (79-77-77—233) while competing as an individual.
No. 28 Auburn captured the team title with a 4-under 860 (291-287-282), while No. 31 Florida State (873), No. 27 Texas A&M (881), Houston (895) and Kentucky and Tulsa (901) rounded out the top six teams. Auburn's Clara Baena and Florida State's Kayla Jones tied for the individual crown at 7-under 209.
The Roadrunners will return to the course in two weeks at the Golfweek Conference Challenge in Wolcott, Colo. The three-day tournament will tee off on Sept. 22.