LEXINGTON, Ky. ? After posting three top-five finishes in its five tournaments this fall, the Kentucky women?s golf team looks to continue its success when it opens its spring slate Sunday. The Cats travel to Miami Lakes, Fla., to compete in the Papa John?s Collegiate Invitational. The three-day tournament, hosted by the University of Miami, is being played at the Don Shula Golf Resort.
Play begins at 12:30 p.m. EST Sunday with a shotgun start and continues at 8 a.m. Monday and Tuesday.
?We are looking forward to playing down in Miami,? UK head coach Stephanie Barker said. ?It is obviously a great venue and we are very fortunate to have the opportunity to play down there. Based on last semester?s performance, we have a great balance of talent on this squad. It seemed like someone different in each event stepped up to place in the top 10 individually.
?Our goal this semester is for each one of our players to shave at least one or two strokes off their current averages. If we improve on small things here and there, great things will happen this spring. We are looking forward to getting off to a good start in Miami.?
Participating teams include: Alabama, Alabama-Birmingham, Coastal Carolina, College of Charleston, East Carolina, Louisville, Miami, Mississippi State, N.C. State, South Florida and Virginia.
The Cats are led by senior Erin Faulkner (Bowling Green, Ky.) who has a squad-best per-stroke average of 76.26 and hold the team?s lowest round of the season with a 69 in the Cardinal Cup.
The Wildcats will be without sophomore golfer Elizabeth Dotson (White Bluff, Tenn.), who sustained an off-the-course knee injury by playing basketball prior to the start of the season. She will be replaced in the lineup by junior Marissa Muir (Tuscon, Ariz.), who has participated in three tournaments this season as an individual.
?It is always unfortunate to have an injury occur at anytime of the year, to any one of our players,? Barker said. ?I know Elizabeth, as well as the team, have been working extremely hard in all types of conditions this last month and a half in order to attain our individual and team goals. However, our team?s great performance this last fall was not solely based on one or two players, it was a group effort. I think it is important for us to keep that in mind anytime an unfortunate event like this occurs.?
This is the second-annual Papa John?s Collegiate Invitational after host Miami claimed the inaugural title last season with a three-round total of 883 (296-299-288).
Kentucky finished ninth in last year?s event, firing a 938 (321-317-300) over the three-day tournament. Beth Felts (Chattanooga, Tenn.) helped the Cats to a solid finish, completing the three day tournament tied for 28th. Felts concluded play at 18-over-par with a tournament total of 234 (82-76-76).
The 6,317-yard, par-72 Don Shula Golf Course, previously known as Miami Lakes Country Club, was designed and built in 1962.
This is the first of five spring tournaments in which the Wildcats will participate this year to close out the season. Highlights of the schedule include the LSU/Cleveland Golf Classic March 3-5 and the Sun Trust Lady Gator Invitational March 11-12. The Wildcats also will participate in the SEC Championships April 14-16 in Nashville.
Complete results and a recap of the Papa John?s Collegiate Invitational will be available at ukathletics.com.
