LUBBOCK, Texas — Lauren Rios is tied for the individual lead and the UTSA women’s golf team has a share of third place after the opening day of the Red Raider Invitational on Tuesday at The Rawls Course (par 72/6,894 yards).
Rios is deadlocked with New Mexico’s Ava Cepeda at 3-under-par 141 atop the leaderboard through the first 36 holes, while the Roadrunners are knotted with Abilene Christian at 9-over 585 (296-289) for third, four shots off the pace set by host Texas Tech.
Rios fired rounds of 71 and 70 to put herself in contention for her first collegiate individual crown with 18 holes left to play on Tuesday. The Coppell, Texas, native wrote down three birdies during her opening-round 71. Starting on No. 2, she logged a four on the 512-yard par five to start her day. She then reeled off six straight pars before recording a four on the 507-yard ninth to get to 2-under for the round. She moved to 3-under with a birdie on the 12th before settling for a pair of bogeys down the stretch.
Rios matched her season-best score in the afternoon with a 2-under 70 that featured a trio of birdies over a five-hole stretch on the front followed by a fourth on the 398-yard, par-4 13th hole. She has a two-shot lead over Houston Christian’s Serena Churchill in the 84-player field.
Daniela Abonce and Sydney Bisgrove — who is playing as an individual — are part of a tie for 17th place at 4-over 148.
Abonce opened the day with a 75 before turning in a 73 in the afternoon that was headlined by four birdies on the front nine, including three in a row to close out a 4-under 32.
Bisgrove equaled her collegiate-best score with a 3-under 69 in the second round on the strength of five birdies, including three on the back nine, to help her bounce back from a 79 in the opening round.
The freshman duo of Kayla Black and Victoria Schuldt has a share of 33rd place. Black posted a 79 in the morning before carding an even-par 72 in the afternoon that was highlighted by a pair of birdies. Schuldt started her week with a 72 that included three birdies before settling for a 79 in round two.
Maria Bastarrica rounds out the UTSA lineup on shot back in a tie for 41st. The junior from Spain recorded a birdie in both her 78 in the morning and 74 in the afternoon.
The final round is scheduled for Wednesday.
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