Results

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – University of South Alabama women's golfer Julie Hovland shot even par to earn a top-10 finish at the First Coast Classic at Deerwood Country Club in Jacksonville, Fla.

Hovland (70-71-75) shot under par in the first two rounds of the tournament, followed by a 3-over par 75 in the final round to post an even par total of 216 and finish tied for seventh place. South Alabama (289-297-305) finished tied for fifth with a three-round team total of 891. 

The Jaguars will return to action March 8-9 at the UNF Collegiate in Jacksonville, Fla.

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Event (Host):  First Coast Classic (North Florida / Western Kentucky) 
Dates:  Feb. 15-16 (Monday – Tuesday)
Format:  54 holes (36/18)
Course:  Deerwood Country Club 
Yardage:  6,002 yards
Par:  72
 
TEAM SCORES
1) North Florida, 285-282-291—858 (-6);  2) Troy, 292-286-296—874 (+10);  3) Arkansas State, 292-285-300—877 (+13);  4) Florida International, 292-287-301—880 (+16);  T5) South Alabama, 289-297-305—891 (+27);  T5) Western Kentucky, 295-298-298—891 (+27);  T7) UAB, 300-299-298—897 (+33);  T7) Daytona State College, 295-308-294—897 (+33);  9) Georgia Southern, 306-296-305—907 (+43);  10) Stetson, 306-311-306—923 (+59);  11) Cincinnati, 305-305-320—930 (+66);  12) Bradley, 318-304-328—950 (+86)

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS
1) Caroline Andrade, FIU, 71-68-71—210 (-6);  2) Nicole Lorup, Troy, 70-70-71—211 (-5);  T3) Daniela Gonzalez Pinto, UNF, 72-70-71—213 (-3);  T3) Symone Henriques, DSC, 71-75-67—213 (-3);  T5) Olivia Schmidt, ASU, 73-70-71—214 (-2);  T5) Sara McKevitt, UNF, 70-70-74—214 (-2);  T7) Julie Hovland, South Alabama, 70-71-75—216 (E);  T7) Agueda Cortilla Mas, FIU, 73-72-71—216 (E);  T9) Mindy Herrick, UNF, 75-68-74—217 (+1);  T9) Anna Claire Little, Troy, 70-72-75—217 (+1)

SOUTH ALABAMA SCORES
T7) Julie Hovland, 70-71-75—216 (E);  T17) Siti Shaari, 71-74-76—221 (+5);  T32) Caroline Berge, 75-75-79—229 (+13);  T32) Carlota Garcia, 76-77-76—229 (+13);  T40) Belinda May, 73-80-78—231 (+15);  T40) Nele Mattner*, 77-77-77—231 (+15)
* - Denotes competed as individual

TEE SHOTS
- Hovland earned her third top-10 finish this season out of five events, and also has one top-20 finish.
- Hovland's three-round even par total of 216 marked her third tournament this season in which she has shot even par or better.
- South Alabama ranked second among the field in pars for the tournament with 179.
- May played par threes in the tournament at a team-best average 1-under par average of 2.92 strokes.
- Hovland played par fours and par fives at even par for the tournament.
- Shaari played par fives at a team-best average of 1-under par average of 4.92 strokes.
- Mattner played par fives at even par for the tournament.
- The Jags ranked third among the field in par three scoring average (3.15).
- Mattner tied her season-low three-round total of 231, which she also posted at the USA Intercollegiate (Sept. 5-7) and the Callaway Gardens Invite (Oct. 19-21). 

QUOTES
Head Coach Matt Luther 
- On the tournament:
"We got off to a good start. When the weather was good, we were great. The weather suspension wasn't a big deal, but the conditions after play resumed were tough and we didn't handle that very well."

- On Julie Hovland's play:
"She is a stud, and that's what they do. Julie is everything you want a golfer in your program to be. I don't worry about her, and I know she is going to return a score. She makes my life really easy."

- On how the course played:
"The golf course played pretty easy. We got some tough weather for the end of the second round and the third round – a lot of wind, and that made it more difficult. We have some work to do there. We didn't play great when the weather was nasty in Hoover (Ala.) in the fall, and we won by a pile of shots when everything was smooth sailing in Arkansas. We've proven that our good is really good when the sun is shining, and we're not great when the weather and conditions are tough."

- On moving forward:
"We just need to get to work on how to handle that (adverse conditions) when it does come. It's helpful to see that and have that as a teaching tool to understand that's important, and to get out in it and embrace it."

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. 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.