LEXINGTON, Ky. ? Standout Versailles, Ky., golfer Mallory Blackwelder will transfer to the Kentucky women?s golf team from the University of Florida, Head Coach Myra Blackwelder announced Friday. Blackwelder will enter UK as a junior and has two seasons of eligibility remaining.
?Mallory will make a great addition to our team,? Head Coach Myra Blackwelder said of her daughter. ?She brings tremendous experience to the course, and I look forward to working with her and further developing her skills. She?s had an extremely successful summer, and we?re looking forward for that momentum to carry over into this season, as my staff and I look to bring UK back to the national scene.?
The younger Blackwelder finished her sophomore season with the Gators in May at the NCAA West Regional tying for 19th place. The SEC has granted a wavier which makes Blackwelder eligible to play for Kentucky beginning in the 2007 fall season.
?The University of Kentucky greatly appreciates the support of both the University of Florida and the Southeastern Conference throughout this waiver process,? said Senior Associate Athletic Director Sandy Bell. ?Understanding that the conference office is committed to making decisions which are fair to all 12 member institutions as well as the student-athlete, we are extremely pleased with this resolution.?
Earlier this summer, Blackwelder won the 107th Women?s Western Golf Association National Amateur Championship held in Urbana, Ill. During the 36-hole final, she clinched the victory with a 5 and 4 decision. Also on her summer success list, she competed in the Women’s Trans National Golf Association Championship at Persimmon Ridge Golf Club in Louisville, Ky., finishing as the runner-up.
At the U.S. Women?s Amateur Championship earlier this week, Blackwelder qualified for match-play after placing 22nd. She claimed her first round match-up, but fell in the second round to All-American Marci Turner 1-down.
Blackwelder?s successful summer has garnered a No. 3 national amateur ranking by Golfweek Amateur Rankings. ?I?m excited about joining the UK team and look forward to working with my new teammates and coaches,? said Mallory Blackwelder. ?I really enjoyed my two seasons at Florida, and I appreciate their willingness to allow me to continue my career and further my development at Kentucky.?
As a freshman at Florida, she earned her best collegiate finish winning Kentucky?s annual Lady Wildcat Invitational on her home turf. The former 2004 Miss Kentucky Golf notched her best finish of her sophomore campaign in the 2007 SEC Championship tying for the 11th spot. In March, she clinched the team?s second-best individual tournament score of 227 to take home 24th at the University of Central Florida Challenge in March.
Blackwelder ranked third overall on the Gators with a 76.0 stroke average in her second season. She finished the season rated No. 88 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings. Additionally, she received recognition as part of the 2007 SEC Academic Honor Roll, majoring in business.
Blackwelder will join UK veterans? seniors Elizabeth Dotson and Beth Felts and sophomore Erica Still to form a potent lineup for first-year head coach Myra Blackwelder.
