SAN ANTONIO — Brogan Townend tied for sixth place to lead the UTSA women's golf team to a fifth-place finish at this week's The Alamo Invitational, which wrapped up on Tuesday at Briggs Ranch Golf Club (6,450 yards/par 72).
Townend finished in a six-way tie for sixth place at 1-over-par 217 to help the Roadrunners to their best finish at their lone home tournament since also placing fifth in 2013. In registering a career-best finish, the senior from Blackburn, England posted her second straight 2-under 70 that was highlighted by birdies on three of the four par fives in the final round to help UTSA card a season-best 2-under 286, the fifth-lowest round in program history. That score closed out an 884 (305-293-286) for the Birds, which was just two shots behind No. 44 SMU (882) and five back of 29th-ranked Texas Tech (879).
Aimee Ponte was one stroke behind her senior teammate with a 1-under 71 on Tuesday. The junior from St. Sampson's, Guernsey, had four birdies in her final 18 holes and finished in a tie for 12th with a season-best 2-over 218 (75-72-71).
Nikki Long turned in a season-best 7-over 223 (76-74-73) to tie for 31st, while Julie Houston and Lara Weinstein rounded out the UTSA lineup in 50th (77-77-73—227) and 64th (78-82-72—232), respectively.
The Roadrunners, who played the par fives collectively at 7-under, finished two shots in front of TCU (886), five better than Mississippi State (889) and six in front of Texas State (890). UTSA also placed ahead of a trio of ranked teams in No. 11 Texas A&M (11th/894), No. 36 Houston (12th/896) and No. 35 LSU (15th/904).
No. 16 Florida ran away with the team title with a 6-under 858 (293-286-279) on the strength of individual champion Maria Torres' 6-under 210 (71-70-69). No. 3 Arkansas was second at 6-over 870.
The Roadrunners will return to action on Feb. 15-16 at the Delta Gamma Challenge in New Braunfels.