Women's Golf Begins Spring Season at the Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge
Sunday, February 13, 2011 | Women's Golf
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida women's golf team returns to the course after a 15-week break, making the trek to Palos Verdes, Calif. for the 16th-annual Northrup Grumman Regional Challenge, hosted by Ohio State. The three-day event that begins on Monday, Feb. 14, will be held at the par-71, 5,912-yard Palos Verdes Golf Club. This is the 11th consecutive spring that the Gators have participated in this tournament with the 2008 SEC Championship squad registering the highest team finish—runners-up—during the span. Individually, senior Jessica Yadloczky (Casselberry, Fla.) (2008) and former Gator golfers Whitney Myers (2008) and Sandra Gal (2007) have placed second, representing UF's best individual finishes.
The Orange and Blue will square off against 13 teams in the Northrup Grumman, five of which (No. 2 UCLA, No. 3 Southern California, No. 18 Michigan State, No. 20 Wake Forest, No. 24 Ohio State) are ranked in the Top 25 of the Golf World/NGCA Coaches Poll as of Nov. 16, 2010. Florida is the lone representative from the Southeastern Conference.
The Gators, piloted by Head Coach Jan Dowling, will introduce a lineup with Yadloczky at the front, followed by Isabelle Lendl (Goshen, Conn.), Mia Piccio (Bacolod City, Philippines), Andrea Watts (Bradenton, Fla.) and Evan Jensen (Belleair, Fla.). Megan Pak (Bradenton, Fla.) will also travel and compete as an individual.
“We are super excited to be competing again and the team could not ask for a better course to test our games in the early spring,” Dowling said. “Palos Verdes is a true test of controlling your approach shots, and the fast greens require great putting. It's very similar to our home course; small, fast greens, so we will be well-prepared.”
Jensen will be the first Gator to tee off at 12:15 p.m. ET on Monday. Watts will start at 12:24, Piccio at 12:33, Lendl at 12:42 and Yadloczky at 12:51. For live scoring, track the Gators at www.golfstat.com and follow the team on Twitter for the latest news and team updates.
