University of Tennessee Athletics
Women’s Golf Spring Season Preview
February 03, 2020 | Women's Golf
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – After a successful fall season, the Lady Vols pick up spring competition on Feb. 16 in Guadalajara, Mexico, at the IJGA Collegiate Invitational.
The team competes in four more tournaments, with three of those being hosted by other SEC schools. The conference championship takes place on April 15-19 at Birmingham, Ala., followed by NCAA Regionals on May 11-13.
"We have a great schedule planned for the spring, starting with a trip to Mexico to compete against some of the top teams in the country," head coach Judi Pavon said. "We are excited to visit three SEC hometowns this spring as it's something we don't often get to do. Our schedule will get us ready to compete in postseason."
Tennessee was one of 24 schools to advance out of the regionals last season, competing in their 14th NCAA Championship and 12th in the Pavon era. This season's NCAA Championships will be hosted by Arizona State from May 22-27 at Greyhawk Country Club in Tempe, Ariz.
Feb. 16-18 | IJGA Collegiate Invitational at Guadalajara, Mexico
Course: Guadalajara Country Club (Par 72 and 6,910 yards)
This marks the second-straight year that Tennessee has traveled to Mexico during its spring season. Last year, the Lady Vols finished sixth at the Hawkeye El Tigre Invitational that took place at Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
The Guadalajara Country Club, which opened in 1942, is the annual host of the LPGA's Lorena Ochoa Invitational. The course was designed by John Bredemus, who is an American course architect and is most known for his work in Texas.
Feb. 23-24 | Westbrook Invitational at Peoria, Ariz.
Course: Vistas Golf Course (Par 72 and 6,252 yards)
During this tournament, which is hosted by the University of Wisconsin, teams will play in threesomes and play 36 holes the first day and 18 the next. The low four individual scores will determine the team score for each round. Including Tennessee, there are 16 teams competing with two other SEC teams.
The Vistas Golf Course opened up in 1990 and was designed by Kenneth Kavanugh. This marks the second year in a row that the Lady Vols have competed in the tournament. Last year, the team finished eighth out of 16 teams after shooting 862 (-2). Ariana Macioce had the best performance for Tennessee, tying for 16th with 214 (-2).
March 7-8 | Florida Gators Invitational at Gainesville, Fla.
Course: Mark Bostick Golf Course (Par 70 and 6,701 yards)
The Lady Vols then travel to Gainesville, Fla., for some SEC competition. Last year, the Big Orange finished fourth out of 13 teams and senior Micheala Williams took first overall after shooting 4-under par.
The Mark Bostick Golf Course has been around since 1962 and is located just outside of Florida's campus. The course was designed by Donald Ross during the 1920s, but was renovated in 2001 after a $4 million project by Jacksonville-based Bobby Weed.
March 20-22 | Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic at Athens, Ga.
Course: University of Georgia Golf Club (Par 71 and 7,258 yards)
This marks the first time Tennessee has played in Athens, Ga., since the 2012-13 season, when UT finished 11th overall at the Liz Murphey Fall Preview. Chessey Thomas was the top finisher for the lady Vols, placing 23rd.
Competing at this course could be especially helpful come postseason as the UGA Golf Club is one of four NCAA Regional host sites. The course initially opened for play on Aug. 31, 1968 and now hosts a variety of tournaments throughout the year. There have also been a couple renovations to the facility, including one in 1990 and again in 2006.
March 27-29 | Evans Derby Experience at Auburn, Ala.
Course: Auburn University Club (Par 72 and 7,326 yards)
The last time UT traveled to Auburn was in 2017, when the Lady Vols had a head-to-head matchup with the Tigers. Williams is the lone current player that competed in the event and finished ninth after posting a 155 (+11) score as Tennessee finished second with a team score of 600 (+24).
The Auburn University Club was founded in 1999 and is located just a few minutes away from the university. The course was designed by former Auburn golfer Bill Bergin and was constructed with the intention of hosting NCAA-caliber golf tournaments.
April 15-19 | SEC Championship at Birmingham, Ala.
Course: Greystone Golf and Country Club (Par 72 and 6,253 yards)
Last year at the SEC Championship, the team finished 10th overall with a team score of 897 (+33). Williams had the best finish for the Lady Vols, carding a 147 (+5) and tying for 21st.
This marks the eighth consecutive season for the SEC Championship to be hosted at the Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham, Ala. The event will feature both stroke and match play, with the match play on Saturday and Sunday. The tournament will also be hosted on the SEC Network for the third-straight year.
The Legacy Course was designed by Rees Jones and was designed to feature both member and PGA tournament play. The noteworthy challenges on the course is at the par-4 ninth hole and the par-5 18th hole.
Players Mentioned
