Three Spiders Finish In Top 20 In First Event of Spring

Tuesday, February 18

Tampa, Fla.

8:15 AM

University of Richmond

Round 3

Three Spiders Finish In Top 20 In First Event of Spring

02/18/2020 | Women's Golf

RESULTS

TAMPA, Fla. -- A trio of Spiders finished in the top 20 at the Old Friends Invitational in Tampa, Fla. on Tuesday in the first event of the spring season for Richmond's women's golf team. As a team, the Spiders finished fifth among seven teams with a 54-hole total of 943 (+79).

"I saw lots of great things from the team over these last two days and I think there are good things to come for this group," said coach Calle Nielson.

Freshman Vicky Zhu placed 14th in the field of 38 golfers with a score of 232 (+16). It was Zhu's second top-15 finish of the season along with a tie for ninth at the Bucknell Invitational in September. Zhu made 40 pars over the three rounds, most of any golfer in the field.

Sophomore Emily Ward finished two shots behind Zhu at 234 (+18), tied for 16th on the leaderboard. Ward played the par threes at the Tampa Palms Golf and Country Club in a score of two-under par, second-best of any player.

Freshman Muskan Uppal finished tied for 20th, registering her best finish of the season. Uppal shot 235 (+19) for the event, and her six birdies over the three rounds were tied for the 10th most of any golfer in the field. Sophomore Naomi Mitchell finished 30th at 242 (+26), and junior Ally Steffen tied for 35th with a score of 260 (+44).

Asked for an area of focus for the team before its next event, Nielson said she wanted to make sure the team put in some extra work around the greens, specifically working on chipping.

The Spiders return to the course next month at the 54-hole River Landing Classic, played on March 9th and 10th at the River Landing Golf Club in Wallace, N.C.