WOODBURY, Minn. — Behind a career round from Nicole Polivchak, the UTSA women's golf team is in fifth place after the first round of the Minnesota Invitational, which got underway Monday at Prestwick Golf Club (par 72/6,297 yards).
Play was delayed three times due to lightning on the opening day of the two-day tournament, with the last stoppage at approximately 6 p.m. postponing the rest of the second round until 10 a.m. Tuesday and canceling the originally scheduled third round.
Polivchak fired a 2-under-par 70 to help the Roadrunners post a 4-over 292, good for fifth place in the 15-team field counting first-round scores only, as second-round scores are unofficial. Kentucky shot an even-par 288 to take the lead through 18 holes, followed closely by Oklahoma (290), San Jose State (291), Virginia Tech (291) and UTSA.
In her first appearance as a Roadrunner, Polivchak used six birdies to register the best round of her collegiate career. The junior transfer from Northern Colorado wrote down three birdies as part of 1-under 35s on each side and the Poland native is tied for fifth after the first round, four shots off the pace of 6-under 66 set by Georgia's Caterina Don.
Katia Mexsen carded a 1-over 73 and is tied for 20th place after the first round. The sophomore from Torreon, Mexico, was buoyed by four birdies, three coming during a four-hole stretch on the back nine, in matching her career-best score versus par.
Ana Gonzalez turned in a 74 and shares 29th place after the first 18 holes. The defending Conference USA champion from Monterrey, Mexico, had three birdies in the first event of her junior campaign.
A pair of San Antonio natives rounds out the UTSA lineup, as Hannah Holzmann shot a 75 and is tied for 38th, while Camryn Carreon is tied for 75th (80).
