USC Upstate Finishes 9th at National Golf Invitational
By USC Upstate Athletics
MARICOPA, Ariz. -- The USC Upstate women's golf team wrapped up their historic 2023-2024 season with a ninth-place finish at the National Golf Invitational. Leading the Spartans on the leaderboard was the highly decorated senior, Preaw Nontarux, who tied for 15th place. It marked a fitting conclusion to a career worthy of the Hall of Fame for USC Upstate.
"Preaw ended her career with a strong tournament and definitely leaves her mark on our program," said head coach Todd Lawton.
Throughout the tournament, the Spartans faced scorching heat and sporadic desert winds. The tournament, in which most of the teams scored above their season averages, provided a new challenge for Upstate.
Junior Alexis Rieli delivered three solid rounds, surpassing her season scoring average by nearly two strokes. The Florida native posted an even 72 on the final day, propelling her up 11 spots to secure a tie for 27th place. She also achieved a tie for 10th in scoring on par 3s throughout the tournament.
Head coach Todd Lawton added, "Alexis shined by battling a course that wasn't the best fit for her game. She fought for everything."
Rounding out the top-30 was Rylie Kosney, who improved her performance by five strokes from the second to the third round. The sophomore hailing from Sacramento maintained a 4.13 scoring average on par 4s throughout the tournament, earning her a tie for 12th place in that category.
"Kudos to Golfweek and Lance Ringler for organizing a fantastic event. The Ak-Chin Southern Dunes provided a challenging yet fair venue. We were tested with various shots and putts throughout. Despite our limited experience on courses of this caliber, we performed admirably overall. I'm not one for excuses, but it's true that we could have capitalized more. Nonetheless, I'm incredibly proud of the growth and cohesion of this team throughout the year," remarked head coach Todd Lawton.
Teammates Supatta Puttanavarat and Suwarin Yord-in completed the "Spartan Card" for the NGI , as they each made two birdies in the third round of competition.
Victoria Levy of UNC Wilmington claimed the individual title with scores of 71-72-70-213. Levy engaged in a sudden death playoff against Jax State's Jinger Heath. The team championship went to Rutgers, who secured a commanding victory with scores of 290-294-293-877.
Final Results - Total Score (National Ranking)
54-hole stroke play
Rutgers - 877 (85)
UNCW - 880 (90)
Santa Clara - 881 (109)
Arkansas St.- 888 (104)
Florida Atlantic - 898 (109)
Mercer - 900 (88)
Jax State - 901 (133)
Chattanooga - 904 (82)
USC Upstate - 906 (144)
Austin Peay State - 923 (121)