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Shosted claims medalist honors, UVU takes third at UTRGV Invite

3/8/2022 | Women’s Golf

MCALLEN, Texas – Freshman Leighton Shosted fired a final-round 73 on her way to winning her first collegiate event with a three-round total of 8-over-par 224 to claim medalist honors at the UTRGV Invitational at McAllen Country Club. As a team, the Wolverines carded a 10-over 298 during Tuesday’s final round to move up a couple of spots and place third at the 15-team event.

Entering the day behind Drake’s Haeri Lee by two strokes, Shosted played strong all day with a trio of birdies and 11 pars on her way to carding a 1-over 73 and winning the event. Over her final 10 holes, she recorded nine pars and one birdie on her way to winning her first collegiate tournament. She previously fired rounds of 74 and 77 on Monday to win the event at 8-over-par.

“Leighton was so solid this week. She was super focused and played steady all day to be the leader in the clubhouse and eventually win,” head UVU coach Juli Erekson said. “Inevitably with a slow start we put ourselves back for the team win but never stopped trying to make up for it. The time will come soon for it to come together.”

A trio of other Wolverines also posted top-25 finishes, as senior Bailey Henley carded a 2-over 74 on Tuesday to tie for 16th with a 16-over-par 232 (81-77-74). Sophomores Victoria Estrada (80-81-74) and Caylyn Ponich (81-77-77) followed by each tying for 25th with 19-over-par 235s.

As a team, Houston Baptist won the event after winning a playoff over Texas A&M – Corpus Christi, as both teams finished with identical scores of 56-over-par 920. UVU finished just four strokes back to take third with a 60-over-par 924. After opening with scores of 314 and 312 on Monday, the Wolverines responded by firing a 10-over 298 on Tuesday to move up two spots and earn their second top-three team finish of the season. By taking third, UVU finished ahead of Illinois State (925), Creighton (932), Incarnate Word (932), host UT Rio Grande Valley (933), Lamar (946), Omaha (947), Stephen F. Austin (948), Drake (957), North Dakota (961), Tarleton (961), Texas Southern (970), and Texas A&M – Kingsville (1020).

“I’m very pleased for our second-best round of the season today. Conditions were not easy all week and our girls fought till the end,” Erekson added. “We are ready to get back to it this week in St. George and look forward to building on this finish!”

Sophomore Anna Lesa rounded out UVU’s competitors at the UTRGV Invite by tying for 48th out of 79 competitors with a 243 (79-81-83).

By claiming medalist honors and winning her first collegiate event on Tuesday, Shosted has now recorded a trio of top-five finishes during her true freshman season for the Wolverines.

UVU will continue a busy week by traveling from McAllen, Texas to St. George, Utah this evening to take part at Southern Utah’s Pizza Hut Lady Thunderbird Invitational at Sunbrook Golf Club Thursday through Saturday, March 10-12.