Uriell Tied For Lead After Round One

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BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – University of Arkansas junior Alana Uriell birdied the 18th hole and is tied for the lead after first round action at the 2017 Southeastern Conference Women’s Golf Championship at Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama on Friday.

Uriell posted a 4-under 36–32—68 and paced the 13th-ranked Razorbacks to a 283 and second place, just one shot off the lead, with two rounds remaining. The round of 68 is the Carlsbad, California native’s best at the SEC Championship and ties her second-lowest round of the season.

Uriell played the first nine even, putting together a string of three birdies on the ninth, 10th and 11th holes. She added another on the 14th hole and finished strong with a 30-foot uphill birdie putt on 18 to end her day. She is tied with South Carolina’s Katelyn Dambaugh and Vanderbilt’s Alexandra Farnsworth for the lead.

Arkansas is in the clubhouse 5-under par and just one shot back of No. 20 Texas A&M who posted a 6-under 282 thanks to a big move on the back nine of the Legacy Course. Eighth-ranked Florida is third with 284 followed by No. 11 South Carolina in fourth with 286. A three-way tie rounds out the top five with No. 6 Georgia, No. 32 Tennessee and Vanderbilt locked up at 287.

Sophomore Cara Gorlei (35–36) and senior Summar Roachell (35–36) finished the first day tied for 12th place shooting a 1-under 71 while sophomores Maria Fassi (34–39) and Kaylee Benton (36–37) are tied for 27th overall with 1-over 73’s.

Hole of the Day: Maria Fassi on 11
We had to wait a while on No. 11. I was relaxed and I hit a really good driver to about 170 yards into the green. I got a little bit of help from the wind and I hit a perfect 8-iron. It landed and I had about a two-foot putt for eagle.

Head Coach Shauna Estes-Taylor
Getting off to a good start today sets a foundation for the rest of the tournament. You gotta get the roots down and then continue to do what our preparation has given us. It’s been a little bit of a theme this week to ‘hit it in the box’ and that means to hit it in a place where you have some space to make something happen. Then you take what it gives you from there.

I also told them I’m coaching for (senior) Summar Roachell this week. She has been an incredible senior for us – that is all you can do. Hit it in the box and play for Summar.

On Good Shots:
I saw so many great shots today. I saw Kaylee (Benton) make a 50-footer on five. Maria (Fassi) hit it to two feet for eagle on No.11. Summar (Roachell) almost made a hole-in-one on eight. Cara (Gorlei) made an unbelievable 15-footer for par on 14 and Alana’s (Uriell’s) 30-footer on 18 for birdie was amazing.

Arkansas returns to the links on Saturday with its first tee time at 9:28 a.m. the first tee box.

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SEC Championship Round One Team Results