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SunTrust Gator Invitational
Micheala Williams Captures Gator Invitational Title as Lady Vols Finish Fourth
March 10, 2019 | Women's Golf
Williams shoots bogey-free 65 (-5) in the final round, tying the second lowest score in program history
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – University of Tennessee women's golf junior Micheala Williams captured the individual title at the Gator Invitational Sunday, shooting a collegiate-low 65 (-5) to win her first collegiate title.
The Lady Vols finished fourth as a team, shooting the lowest round on the course at 2-under. Their final day helped them jump No. 20 Clemson on the leaderboard as they placed ahead of six teams ranked in the top 60 in the latest GolfStat rankings.
Not only was the final round a collegiate-low for Williams but, it tied the second lowest round in school history with a 65. She was only one stroke off the 12-year old program record of 64 carded by Marci Turner at the 2006 Dr. Donnis Thompson.
This is the third individual title for Tennessee this season and the second this spring. Freshman Malia Stovall captured the Starmount Classic title in October, sophomore Mariah Smith won the FAU Winter Warm Up in February. All three of the individual wins were the first in their collegiate careers.
It is the first time in school history Tennessee has had three separate individual medalists in the same season.
In all, four of the five Lady Vol players finished inside of the top 25 on the leaderboard with senior Ariana Macioce, sophomore Waverly Whiston and Smith all tied for 18th, individually.
For Macioce, this is the sixth straight tournament she has placed inside of the top 20 dating back to the Starmount Classic in early October. She now leads the team in top-25 finishes.
Whiston and Smith both have finished inside of the top 20 twice through three events this spring.
Tennessee's final round was the lowest of the week and the second lowest score of the season for the Lady Vols. They were just two strokes off of their season-low score of 276 set at the FAU Winter Warm Up earlier this spring.
Coach's Take
On Micheala Williams individual win:
"I'm really happy for Micheala she has played well so many times in her career without coming away with a win, which has always been her goal. This was a good field and she played really well to earn this win." – Coach Judi Pavon
On the play of the team as a whole in the final round:
"We had a really solid round today and a good tournament in all. We really had a good round going early but lost some shots toward the middle of the round. All of the players competed well all the way through the day. We only finished eight shots from the winners which is not too bad." – Coach Judi Pavon
On playing well against highly ranked teams:
"Our players are feeling really good about the progress they've made and how good everyone is playing one to five. We know we have some areas to improve but feel good about our potential for the rest of the season." – Coach Judi Pavon
Player's Take
On first collegiate win:
"I'm so excited to finally get my first college win. I've felt like I was close several times and the past two days it all came together. My iron shots felt really solid both days and the greens were in great shape and I made some good putts coming down the stretch." - Junior Micheala Williams
Final Scores:
Team
Tennessee Team
Up Next
Tennessee is back on the course in two weeks as they take part in the Hawkeye El Tigre Invitational in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico from March 21-23.
The Lady Vols finished fourth as a team, shooting the lowest round on the course at 2-under. Their final day helped them jump No. 20 Clemson on the leaderboard as they placed ahead of six teams ranked in the top 60 in the latest GolfStat rankings.
Not only was the final round a collegiate-low for Williams but, it tied the second lowest round in school history with a 65. She was only one stroke off the 12-year old program record of 64 carded by Marci Turner at the 2006 Dr. Donnis Thompson.
This is the third individual title for Tennessee this season and the second this spring. Freshman Malia Stovall captured the Starmount Classic title in October, sophomore Mariah Smith won the FAU Winter Warm Up in February. All three of the individual wins were the first in their collegiate careers.
It is the first time in school history Tennessee has had three separate individual medalists in the same season.
In all, four of the five Lady Vol players finished inside of the top 25 on the leaderboard with senior Ariana Macioce, sophomore Waverly Whiston and Smith all tied for 18th, individually.
For Macioce, this is the sixth straight tournament she has placed inside of the top 20 dating back to the Starmount Classic in early October. She now leads the team in top-25 finishes.
Whiston and Smith both have finished inside of the top 20 twice through three events this spring.
Tennessee's final round was the lowest of the week and the second lowest score of the season for the Lady Vols. They were just two strokes off of their season-low score of 276 set at the FAU Winter Warm Up earlier this spring.
Coach's Take
On Micheala Williams individual win:
"I'm really happy for Micheala she has played well so many times in her career without coming away with a win, which has always been her goal. This was a good field and she played really well to earn this win." – Coach Judi Pavon
On the play of the team as a whole in the final round:
"We had a really solid round today and a good tournament in all. We really had a good round going early but lost some shots toward the middle of the round. All of the players competed well all the way through the day. We only finished eight shots from the winners which is not too bad." – Coach Judi Pavon
On playing well against highly ranked teams:
"Our players are feeling really good about the progress they've made and how good everyone is playing one to five. We know we have some areas to improve but feel good about our potential for the rest of the season." – Coach Judi Pavon
Player's Take
On first collegiate win:
"I'm so excited to finally get my first college win. I've felt like I was close several times and the past two days it all came together. My iron shots felt really solid both days and the greens were in great shape and I made some good putts coming down the stretch." - Junior Micheala Williams
Final Scores:
Team
| 1 | Florida | -2 (838) |
| T2 | Campbell | +3 (843) |
| T2 | Miami | +3 (843) |
| 4 | Tennessee | +6 (846) |
| 5 | East Carolina | +12 (852) |
| 6 | Clemson | +15 (855) |
| 7 | UCF | +19 (859) |
| 8 | NC State | +27 (867) |
| 9 | Ohio State | +31 (871) |
| 10 | Penn State | +36 (876) |
| 11 | College of Charleston | +46 (886) |
| 12 | Florida International | +50 (890) |
| 13 | Daytona State | +58 (898) |
Tennessee Team
| Micheala Williams | 1 | 206 (-4) |
| Mariah Smith | T18 | 214 (+4) |
| Ariana Macioce | T18 | 214 (+4) |
| Waverly Whiston | T18 | 214 (+4) |
| Mikayla Bardwell | T30 | 217 (+7) |
Up Next
Tennessee is back on the course in two weeks as they take part in the Hawkeye El Tigre Invitational in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico from March 21-23.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
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