MADISON, Wis. — Daniela Abonce tied for third place to help lead the UTSA women’s golf team to a third-place finish at the Badger Invitational, which concluded on Tuesday at University Ridge Golf Course (par 72/6,248 yards).
Abonce carded a 1-over-par 217 to grab a share of third place in the individual standings, while the Roadrunners posted an 895 (295-296-304) to claim third in the 13- team field.
UTSA ended up one shot ahead of South Dakota State and four strokes in front of host and fifth-place Wisconsin, also finishing ahead of Big Ten teams Rutgers (T-6th/903), Iowa (10th/908) and Nebraska (11th (918), as well as American Athletic Conference foe South Florida (13th/929). The Roadrunners were only two shots behind runner-up Sam Houston in the team race won by Delaware (886).
Abonce turned in her second straight even-par scorecard on Tuesday to jump from a tie for eighth place into a three-way deadlock for third in the 75-player field. The junior from Mexico had a pair of birdies during her final round, writing down a four on the 515-yard second hole and a two on No. 5 to give the reigning AAC medalist six birdies for the week.
The third-place individual finish marked Abonce’s fourth top-10 showing of her UTSA career, while her back-to-back 72s pushed her collegiate total of par-or-better rounds to 26.
Abonce shared third place with a pair of Delaware golfers in Lilia Henkel (74-69-74—217) and Mary Grace Dunigan (73-70-74—217), finishing behind champion Grace Jin of Sam Houston (69-71-72—212) and runner-up Leonor Medeiros of South Florida (74-70-69—213).
Morgan Ellison recorded three birdies during a final-round 75 that guided the senior from Georgia into a tie for 26th. After opening with a 73-78—151, her 3-over scorecard on Tuesday closed out a 10-over 226.
Olivia Williams was one shot behind her teammate in a tie for 31st at 11-over 227. The junior from England opened with a 76-74—150 before registering a 77 on Tuesday.
Maria Bastarrica tied for 42nd with a 232 (73-79-80) and Sydney Bisgrove was 67th (85-72-85—242) to round out the UTSA lineup.
The Roadrunners will return to the course on Sept. 24-25 at the Red Raider Invitational in Lubbock, Texas.
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