GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Daniela Abonce finished in the top 15 in the individual race to guide UTSA to 12th-place finish at the Collegiate Invitational at GCC, which concluded Saturday at Guadalajara Country Club (par 72/6,210 yards).
Buoyed by a 1-under-par 71 in the final round, Abonce claimed sole possession of 13th at 1-over 217, good for the third top-15 finish of her senior season. After opening with a 2-over 74, she turned in an even-par scorecard in the second round before closing with her third red number of the campaign.
Playing in her native Mexico, Abonce’s final round was highlighted by five birdies. The Veracruz native notched her first birdie with a three on the 353-yard third. She bounced back from back-to-back-bogeys with a two on the 173-yard eighth to help her to a 36 on the front nine.
Abonce birdied the 499-yard, par-5 12th and negated a pair of bogeys by circling her number on the 377-yard, par-4 16th and on the 477-yard, par-5 18th, dipping her to 1-under for the round. She ended up only one shot out of the top 10 in the field of more than 60 competitors.
Lauren Rios was the next highest-finishing Roadrunner, earning a share of 23rd with a 222. The Coppell, Texas, native opened the event with an even-par 72 before settling for a 75 and 77 over the final 36 holes.
Victoria Schuldt, a freshman from Germany, tied for 40th with a 229 (74-78-77) while pacing the Roadrunners with seven birdies for the tournament.
Kayla Black, a freshman from Canada who recorded one of five eagles in the field during her opening round, tied for 57th (79-79-78—236), while Sydney Bisgrove, a sophomore from Canada, tied for 60th (83-80-76—239).
The Roadrunners ended up in 12th with a 904 (299-304-301), one shot out of a tie for 10th between No. 43 Colorado and Washington.
No. 28 Florida State claimed the team title with an 868, while No. 19 Oklahoma State (871), No. 32 Houston (873), host and 38th-ranked Virginia (879) and BYU (888) rounded out the top five in the field that included seven nationally ranked squads.
Washington’s Carmen Lim won the individual crown with a 5-under 211 (67-71-73).
The Roadrunners will return to the course on Feb. 23-24 when they compete in the Chevron Collegiate at the Golf Club of Houston.
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