Gainesville, Fla. ? The Kentucky women?s golf team returns to action Friday in the three-day Lady Gator Invitational hosted by the University of Florida.

The Lady Wildcats will play their second tournament in as many weekends. Last weekend junior Mallory Blackwelder secured her third top-10 finish of the season with a second-place finish at the Qdoba Invitational. Blackwelder when she carded a four-over-par in the three-day event. The team placed seventh overall just behind Kansas. UK edged out Mississippi State, the only other SEC school in action, as the Bulldogs took eighth.

The SunTrust Lady Gator Invitational has earned a reputation as one of the nation?s finest women?s collegiate golfing events. The 2008 edition will be the tournament?s 36th annual event. Since its beginning in 1973, the Lady Gator Invitational has consistently drawn top quality teams and players to Gainesville. As a result, several prominent golfers appear in the Lady Gator Invitational records, including three players who went on to earn Rolex Player of the Year honors on the LPGA Tour: Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley and Betsy King. The host team Florida has claimed the event in four of the last five seasons.

This year?s competition consists of 16 teams, 15 of which are ranked in the latest Golfweek top-100. #39 August State, #51 Colorado, #5 Florida, Florida Atlantic, #86 Florida International, #32 Georgia State, #53 Kentucky, #29 Louisville, #35 North Carolina, #72 North Carolina-Greensboro, #77 Ole Miss, #44 Oregon, #74 South Florida, #59 Tennessee-Chattanooga, and #13 Wake Forest are among the field.

Complete coverage and results of the women?s golf team this weekend at the Lady Gator Invitational can be found at www.ukatheltics.com.