Florida Host the VyStar Credit Union Gators Invitational

Saturday, March 4

Gainesville, Fla.

8:30 a.m. (18 Holes)

Florida Gators

VyStar Credit Union Gators Invitational

Florida Host the VyStar Credit Union Gators Invitational

Thursday, March 2, 2023 | Women's Golf

Live Scoring Official Facebook Event - Day One Official Facebook Event - Day Two

Round one is set for 8:30 a.m. on Saturday at Mark Bostick Golf Course.

By: Matthew Hutchison

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION
Dates: Saturday, March 4 - Sunday, March 5
Location: Mark Bostick Golf Course - Gainesville, Fla.
Host: University of Florida
Course Par/Yardage: Par 70 - 6,002 yards
Format: 36 holes on Saturday and 18 holes on Sunday
Tee Times: 8:30 a.m. shotgun on both days
Live Scoring: Golf Stat
Social Media: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

LINEUP
No. 1 - Annabell Fuller
No. 2 - Jackie Lucena
No. 3 - Marina Escobar
No. 4 - Maisie Filler
No. 5 - Taylor Roberts
Ind. - Jenny Kim
Ind. - Karoline Tuttle

THE FIELD
Arizona, Augusta, Campbell, Clemson, FAU, FIU, Florida (host), Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, N.C. State, Ole Miss, UCF and UCLA.

TEE OFF
The Florida women's golf team plays host to the 51st VyStar Credit Union Gators Invitational this weekend at Mark Bostick Golf Course.

TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The Gators home tournament celebrates its 51st year as the event began in 1973 and was hosted twice both in the fall and spring in Gainesville. Florida aims to win the event for the eighth time in a row and 26th overall.

LAST TIME OUT
Florida returned to the 'Sunshine State' for the first time all season and posted its season best finish at the Moon Golf Invitational, taking 3rd and finishing 18-under overall.

Annabell Fuller (4th) and Jackie Lucena (T5) led the Gators' with both posting two rounds in the 60s. Lucena highlighted the final round with a hole-in-one as Fuller posted her third top-5 finish of the season.

ANOTHER MILESTONE
Maisie Filler added another achievement to her career as she was officially invited to the Augusta National Women's Amateur (ANWA). She becomes the fifth Gator to recessive the honor as Florida has had a participant every year of the event.

A SEASON AGO
Last season, the Gators started the fall off with four top-3 finishes, including a runner-up to finish to end the season that featured Maisie Filler writing her name int he record book. Filler posted all three rounds in the 60's - 69, 66 and 68. After setting her career low in round two, she tied second all-time in program history for low individual tournament at 203 (-13). The last Gator to record the mark was Camila Hedberg in 2012 at the Cougar Classic. Filler was one stroke away from the program record (202) set by current pro Sam Wagner in 2016.

The Gators started spring on a strong note with a program record 29-under to win the team title at the FAU Paradise Invitational. Florida rode the momentum into defending its home course at the VyStar Credit Union Gators Invitational for the 25th time and seventh straight.

Into postseason play, Florida finished runner-up at the SEC Championship in Birmingham. The Gators entered the match play portion of the conference tournament seeking its first-ever victory after back-to-back years (2018-19) of 3-2 setbacks in the quarterfinals as the format was added in 2018. The No. 5 seeded Gators knocked off the reigning conference champion and No. 1 seeded Auburn Tigers and the defending national champions, Ole Miss. Florida fell to No. 2 LSU in the finals 4-1, as the Tigers won its first SEC title in 30 years.

The Gators missed the cut at the Albuquerque NCAA Regional by one stroke, however, Marina Escobar placed T3 to qualify as an individual for the NCAA Championship. Becoming the second UF women's golfer to accomplish the feat.

NEW FACES IN THE ORANGE & BLUE
Two new faces joined the program this season. In July, head coach Emily Glaser announced the addition of Beth Wu as the Gators' next assistant coach. A two-time All-American at UCLA, WU spent the last three years on the Epson Tour.

Florida also welcomed freshman Karoline Tuttle to the roster this season. A 2021U.S. Women's Open participant, she was named the Florida State Golf Association (FSGA) Player of the Year back-to-back years in 2020 and 2021.

THE TURN
UF wraps the regular season in the state of Georgia with two tournaments - Valspar Augusta Invitational (March 11-12) and Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic (March 24-26).