GULF SHORES, Ala. — The University of South Alabama women's golf team will co-host the Bama Beach Bash with the University of Alabama at Birmingham this weekend. 

"We're really happy to partner with UAB for this tournament," head coach Matt Luther said. "We're really happy with how this turned out. You get to be at the beach for spring break and hopefully we can eventually put the pieces together for this to grow into a larger tournament and attract a large field of teams to come spend a week in Gulf Shores." 

The three day, 54-hole tournament is slated to begin on Friday at the par 71, 5,945-yard Gulf Shores Golf Club course.

"It's definitely not a course you play every day," Luther said. "It's a lot like Azalea City, we should be comfortable there. This course and the conditions should be something we're used to."

There will be a 10-team field for this weekend's tournament, including Alabama State, McNeese State, Nebraska-Omaha, Samford, Spring Hill, West Alabama, West Florida and West Georgia. 

Heading into this weekend's tournament, sophomore Mackenzie Peyton leads the Jaguars with a 76.31 stroke average which ranks No. 23 in the Sun Belt Conference. Peyton placed tied for 120th in the 231-individual field in the Kiawah Island Classic two weeks ago with a 234 overall three-day score. Jaguar senior Carianne Wright led the team in that tournament posting a 232 overall score to place 103rd. South Alabama placed 28th out of the Kiawah Island Classic's 43-team field.

"We just need to focus on continuing to get better," Luther said. "We've talked a lot about really thinking on the golf course when we were at the Kiawah Island tournament, really thinking through shots better beforehand. I really want to see their fight. Even when you make a couple bogies early, I want them to have the perseverance to take a mediocre round and turn it into a good round."

South Alabama will tee off at 8:30 a.m. on hole No. 1 on Friday. Live stats will be available at golfstat.com. 

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/USAJaguarSports. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the Chip In Club, the women's golf specific support club of the Jaguar Athletic Fund. All donations to the Chip In Club go directly to support the South Alabama women's golf program. For more information on how you can join visit: jaguarathleticfund.com/chipinclub.

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