PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Led by a 1-over-par scorecard from Ana Gonzalez the UTSA women's golf team climbed into first place after the second round of the Conference USA Championship on Tuesday at PGA National Resort's Champion Course (par 72/6,154 yards).
The No. 49 Roadrunners entered the second day in third place after posting a 308 on Monday, one shot behind Old Dominion and five back of Florida Atlantic. Keyed by a 73 from Gonzalez, who is in second place in the individual race, and a 2-over 74 from Nicole Polivchak, the Roadrunners carded a 305 to move atop the leaderboard with 18 holes left to play on Wednesday.
UTSA has a 36-hole total of 613, good for a two-shot advantage over No. 44 and defending champion North Texas (615). Florida Atlantic is in third with a 616, followed by FIU (623) and Southern Miss (625) in the top five of the 12-team field.
Gonzalez recorded a pair of birdies en route to posting UTSA's top score for the second straight day. The super senior from Mexico birdied the 508-yard, par-5 10th and 390-yard, par-4 12th holes on Tuesday as part of a 73, which ended up tied for the low round of the day. Gonzalez, who won the 2019 C-USA individual crown, is 4 over (148) after 36 holes, five strokes off the pace set by Florida Atlantic's Letizia Bagnoli (70-73—143).
Polivchak turned in a 74 on Tuesday on the strength of birdies on the 495-yard, par-5 third and 335-yard, par-4 13th holes. The super senior moved into a tie for 10th place at 11-over 155, as her 74 was a seven-shot improvement over her opening-round 81.
There are three total Roadrunners in the top 10, as Camryn Carreon has a share of seventh place at 9-over 153. The junior from San Antonio registered a 78 on Tuesday behind a birdie on No. 17 to follow a 75 from Monday.
Hannah Holzmann has settled into a deadlock for 14th place at 13-over 157. The senior out of San Antonio circled her number on the 361-yard, par-4 second hole as part of an 80 on Tuesday after opening with a 77.
Hunter Nugent rounds out the UTSA lineup in a tie for 50th (86-82—168).
The final round is scheduled for Wednesday and UTSA will be paired with North Texas and Florida Atlantic with tee times starting at 7:40 a.m. CT off No. 1.
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