Aggie Women’s Golf Plays in Miami to Open Spring Season

Miami, Fla. – New Mexico State women’s golfer, freshman Suteera Chanachai finished the first day of the spring season in a tie for 12^th at the Qdoba Invitational hosted by the University of Maimi, Sunday, Feb. 17 in Miami Lakes, Fla.

Chanachai (Bangkok, Thailand) pared 13 of 18 holes to card a 3-over-par 75 in a tournament that included some of nation’s top collegiate players and lots of rain on Don Shula Golf Course.

“Suteera seems to have started the spring season right where she left off in the fall,” head coach Paul Brilliant said. “The field is very good and this will be a great way for our team to see where we stand.”

Sophomore Brittany Collins (Bluffton, S.C.) wasn’t too far behind Chanachai as she fired 4-over-par 76 to tie for 19^th with a few other players. Collins fired a 38 in the front and as well as on the back.

East Carolina University led all teams after the first day of play with a team total of 8-over-par 296, while Louisville and Maimi were only four strokes behind and tied for second. Western Athletic Conference competitor, San Jose State ended the day in fourth with a 14-over-par 302. There were four teams tied for fifth while the Aggies finished day one in ninth as they carded a 314. Mississippi State, Coastal Carolina and Southern Mississippi rounded out the field.

Individually, Miami’s Jessica Steward and Kansas’s Grace Thiry led all players with a 1-under-par 71 and were the only players to shoot under par.

“If we are able to cut a few strokes off our score and jump in front of a couple of teams, I believe it will be a big step for our team,” Brilliant said.

Freshman Apinporn Swaschuto (Bangkok, Thailand) came in with an 8-over-par 80 to tie for 40^th, while sophomore Georgina Dunn (Northampton, England) tied for 53^rd with an 11-over-par 83 in her first collegiate tournament away from Las Cruces. Sophomore Maggie Murphy (Sioux Falls, S.D.) rounded out the Aggie field with a 16-over-par 88 to come end the day in 64^th.

The Aggies will continue the tournament Monday, Feb. 18 with a shotgun start beginning at 12:30 p.m. Fans can look for results at www.nmstatesports.com or at www.golfstat.com at the end of the day’s play.