W-Golf Looks To Defend SEC Championship Title
Thursday, April 16, 2009 | Women's Golf
The reigning SEC Champion University of Florida women's golf team will attempt to defend its crown as they head to the 2009 SEC Championship in Blythewood, S.C. The Lady Gators will attempt to earn their ninth conference title in program history and their second under head coach Jill Briles-Hinton.
First-round action begins on Friday as the Lady Gators tee off beginning at 9:30 a.m. at Cobblestone Park. Teams will play 18 holes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Resting on 240 acres of rolling hills, there are three distinct nines, named the Garnet, Black and Gold in honor of the course's affiliation with USC. The SEC Championship will be played on the Garnet and Black nines, and the course will play at par 71, 6,204 yards.
Last season, the Lady Gators took home first place in Loudon, Tenn. The 2008 championship saw the Gators fire an 874 to run away with the team title, 17 shots ahead of runner-up Arkansas. The squad continued their momentum from the conference tournament to the NCAA East Regional, where they took another first place finish.
This year's squad is led by Jessica Yadloczky (Casselberry, Fla.), who is the only remaining member of the 2008 SEC Champions lineup. Yadloczky finished in 12th place at her first SEC tournament and has proven to be the leader of this youthful squad. Yadloczky has finished in the top-5 in each of her last four tournaments, including a career-best second-place finish at the UCF Challenge.
Yadloczky will be joined by four rookies to the conference tournament, including two freshmen. Andrea Watts (Bradenton, Fla.) and Evan Jensen (Belleair, Fla.) are expected to be major contributors in their first season for the Orange and Blue. Both freshmen have 24 rounds each under their belt and have claimed at least one top-15 finish this season.
Redshirt sophomores Lauren Uzelatz (Lakeland, Fla.) and Nicole Schachner (Libertyville, Ill.) will round out the lineup for the Orange and Blue this weekend. Both golfers have been heavily featured in lineups for the Lady Gators this season.
The SEC Championship will be the first event of the post season, which continues with the NCAA Regionals. The University of Florida joins Arizona State University and Ohio State University as hosts for the event.
Live scoring for the 2009 SEC Championship is available at www.GatorZone.com and www.GolfStat.com.
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