BROOKSVILLE, Fla. — Daniela Abonce posted an even-par scorecard to help the UTSA women’s golf team remain in the top five teams after the second day of the American Athletic Conference Championship on Tuesday at Southern Plantation Club (par 72/6,289 yards).
Abonce’s 72 paced a 302 turned in by the Roadrunners, who are in fifth place at 8-over 584 with 18 holes left to play on Wednesday. UTSA is one shot ahead of Florida Atlantic (585) and two in front of No. 46 North Texas (586) in the 12-team field led by No. 36 South Florida (558). Tulsa (564), No. 27 SMU (567) and East Carolina (571) round out the top four.
A day after firing a 6-under-par 66 — the best score ever recorded by a Roadrunner in a conference tournament — Abonce wrote down four birdies to stay in contention for the individual crown. The sophomore from Veracruz, Mexico, birdied two of her first five holes and then closed out the 72 by circling her number on the 498-yard, par-5 16th and the 376-yard, par-4 18th holes. She sits in a tie for third place with South Florida’s Melanie Green at 6-under 138, three shots off the lead held by Tulsa’s Lovisa Gunnar (68-67—135).
Camryn Carreon has a share of 18th at 1-over 145. The senior all-conference performer from San Antonio followed Monday’s 3-under 69 with a 76 that was headlined by a birdie on the 476-yard, par-5 seventh.
Morgan Ellison logged the second-best score of the day for UTSA with a 2-over 74 that featured birdies on the 171-yard, par-3 third and 492-yard, par-5 fifth holes. The junior from Georgia is tied for 36th at 6-over 150 after turning in a two-shot improvement from her opening-round score.
Olivia Williams is one shot behind Ellison in a tie for 39th (71-80—151), while Maria Bastarrica is 58th (79-83—162).
The final round is scheduled for Wednesday and the Roadrunners will tee off from No. 1 beginning at 7 a.m. CT.
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