Maria Torres and UF coach Emily Glaser, left, were all smiles during Sunday's final round. (Photo: Matt Stamey/For UAA Communications)
Torres Put Hammer Down at Perfect Time
Monday, March 13, 2017 | Women's Golf, Scott Carter
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UF senior Maria Torres has blossomed into a team leader and top threat. She was at her best Sunday in the final round of the Gator SunTrust Women's Invitational.
By: Scott Carter, Senior Writer
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Torres family of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico, has been unable to get together much the past four years.
That can happen when your daughter turns from equestrian to golf one day several years ago on a whim, develops into a promising player and moves away for college. According to Maria Torres, a senior on the UF women's golf team, the story is boring. Prodded a bit, she tells how she picked up the game when she was around 8.
The story goes that one day she was in the car with her father, Jose, as they drove past a driving range adjacent to the highway. Jose pointed out the range to her.
"Would you like to play golf?" he asked.
"Sure," replied Maria.
Her future took a different course just like that. Soon, Maria began playing golf and stopped jumping horses. And as they say, the rest is history.
Today, Torres is the reigning SEC Champion and as of Sunday afternoon, the first UF golfer to win the Gator SunTrust Invitational since Tiffany Chudy nine years ago.
What made the day even more memorable was that her parents, Lisandra and Jose, and her grandparents on her mom's side walked around Mark Bostick Golf Course with Torres as she shot a final-round 66 – tying the lowest round in the tournament's history – to edge Duke's Leona Maguire by two shots.
"We come to watch her once a year,'' said Lisandra, whose grasp of English is much better than Jose's. "This time is special." Maria Torres was in her comfort zone on the greens in winning the Gator SunTrust Women's Invitational. (Photo: Matt Stamey/For UAA Communications)
Torres shot 71-68-66—205 while Maguire, currently the No. 1-rated amateur in the world, shot 71-67-69—207. Torres set the tournament record for lowest three-round total. Paired with Maguire in the final round, Torres trailed by a shot when the sun rose Sunday. Torres needed no scouting report on Maguire, who is from Ireland and tied for the lowest amateur score last summer at the Rio Olympics to finish 21st overall.
"It's kind of awesome to play with somebody that is good,'' Torres said. "You want that competitive edge. I like the fire and the battle."
Torres did her best work at the turn Sunday, birdieing holes 10, 11 and 12 on the way to a 32 on the back nine.
"She just put the hammer down,'' Gators coach Emily Glaser said.
Nothing could stop Torres or the Gators, even a 30-minute weather delay with four holes left to play. Torres regrouped and birdied No. 15 when she returned to the course. Her only bogey came on the 18th when she chipped her third shot well past the hole.
Led by Torres' play, Florida claimed its second consecutive team title in the event. The Gators finished 7-over for an eight-stroke victory over runner-up Duke.
Glaser was optimistic about Torres' play prior to the first round on Saturday morning.
"She has been playing well,'' Glaser said. "We've talked a little bit about her winning. She wants to win more. Winning in golf is sometimes totally out of your control because you can play very well and still get beat. So we talked about controlling the things we can control. I thought she did a good job of that."
Staying calm and focused topped the list. Glaser said that can be difficult to do at the only home tournament of the year.
Torres never blinked.
How did she do it? Once more, Torres downplayed any potential details that might make for an interesting story. She said there was no epiphany or swing adjustments or anything out of the ordinary.
"I feel like the key was I was having so much fun,'' she said. "I was just relaxed. I had my parents and my grandparents here. It was awesome to see them here for support. I never get to see them all. It meant a lot. I was just trying to keep it simple.
"I think in general it was putting. I felt really comfortable around the greens. I knew I was able to make them. I was so determined."
At the post-tournament awards ceremony, Glaser watched as the giggly Torres thanked everyone from her parents to her teammates to the grounds crew and pro shop staff at the course for helping her win.
She beamed as she spoke. A tired Torres family stood up from their seats on a brick wall and beamed back.
Torres was the first recruit Glaser signed when she took over the program in 2012.
"The joke I tell is I feel like she said about 10 words to me her freshman year here. That might be exaggerating slightly," Glaser said. "But the point is she's really grown off the golf course in her ability to be a leader and go after what she wants. And there's no doubt that has translated into some great play on the golf course.
"She was a cool customer."
Yes she was. Nothing got in her way. Not Maguire. Not the weather delay. Not a bogie on 18.
"Woof!" she said of her only bad hole. "But it's OK. It was a great round. I cannot complain of anything else."
