Marin Jumps to T-1 After 36 Holes at the Blessings Collegiate
FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas women’s golf (+12, 3rd) dropped to third place while senior Maria Jose Marin (-7, T1) rose to first following the second round of the Blessings Collegiate Invitational on Sunday.
The Hogs battled 15-20 mph winds and a clear blue sky, the opposite of Saturday’s overcast conditions.
Sophomore Ebba Liljeberg (+8, T20) made the team’s first birdie of the day on the first hole, the par-5 10th, but her ideal start ended with a pair of double bogeys on her next two holes.
Liljeberg added another bogey on No. 14, the toughest hole on the course Sunday, but gained two strokes with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 15 and 16. She suffered another setback immediately after, a triple bogey on the par-3 17th, and finished 1-under on her second nine with eight pars and a birdie.
Sophomore Sara Brentcheneff (+1, 6th) started the second round at 2-under and in fifth place and only fell one spot despite a 3-over 75 on Sunday. She avoided big numbers but collected five bogeys.
Marin battled to a 69 with six birdies and three bogeys to start the BCI 68-69 and claim the top spot with 18 holes to play.
Sophomore Swetha Sathish (+10, T23) suffered a trio of double bogeys to card a 77 and senior Abbey Schutte’s (+12, T29) 78 was dropped.
Individuals Natalie Blonien (+8, T20) and freshman Melliyal Schmitt (T18, +7) turned in a 77 and 79, respectively. Schmitt was even after 18 holes but shot 6-over on her next nine.
Marin is tied with Princeton’s Thanana Kotchasanmanee at 7-under par.
Alabama (-2) retained its lead despite shooting a 6-over 294.
Arkansas will begin Monday’s final with its individuals teeing off at 8 a.m. and the first of the team groups at 9:50 a.m.
The Razorbacks
3. Arkansas +12
T1. Maria Jose Marin -7
6. Sara Brentcheneff +1
T20. Ebba Liljeberg +8
T23. Swetha Sathish +10
T25. Abbey Schutte +12
T18. Melliyal Schmitt (Ind.) +7
T20. Natalie Blonien (Ind.) +8
For more information on Arkansas women’s golf, follow @RazorbackWGolf on social media.
