CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — Bolstered by a career-best 5-under-par scorecard from Hannah Holzmann, the UTSA women's golf team soared to the top of the Chattanooga Classic leaderboard on Monday at Council Fire Golf Course (par 72/6,234 yards).
The Roadrunners registered a 9-under 279 to move from a tie for third place into sole possession of first at even-par 576 after 36 holes. They hold a two-shot advantage over North Florida and are 15 strokes ahead of Central Arkansas and Yale in the 20-team field with 18 holes left on Tuesday.
Camryn Carreon joined Holzmann in the sub-70 club with a 69, while Ana Gonzalez also posted a red number with a 2-under 70, as UTSA's 279 is just two shots shy of the school record 277 posted in the first round of the spring season at the Paradise Invitational on Feb. 7.
Holzmann birdied six holes as part of her 67, which is tied for the second-best score in program annals behind 66s posted by Paola Valerio and Hunter Nugent. The senior from San Antonio had a four on the 510-yard, par-5 second and went out with a 36. The all-conference performer then circled her number on five of the first six holes on the back nine, including three in a row on Nos. 13-15, en route to a 5-under 31 on that side. She moved from a tie for sixth into first all by herself at 5-under 139 with her sights set on her second career win.
Carreon used five birdies to post a 69, tying her career best round. The San Antonio product countered a pair of bogeys on the front with two birdies before adding three more on the back to get to 3-under for the round and 4-over 148 for the tournament, good for a share of 18th place.
Meanwhile, Gonzalez logged her second straight 70 on the strength of three birdies and 14 pars. The super senior from Mexico is tied with USF's Melanie Green for second place, one shot behind Holzmann at 4-under 140. The four-time all-conference selection has put herself in contention for her third career win, which would tie the school standard held by Fabiola Arriaga and Julie Houston.
Nicole Polivchak provided the other counting score on Monday with a 1-over 73. The super senior had birdies on the 340-yard, par-4 fifth, the 159-yard, par-3 14th and 366-yard, par-4 16th holes in recording a three-shot improvement from her opening round. She now is tied for 23rd at 5-over 149.
Nugent rounds out the UTSA lineup in a tie for 86th (80-82—162).
The final round is set for Tuesday and the Roadrunners will tee off from No. 1 beginning at 9:10 a.m. CT.
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