By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
ORLANDO, FEB. 10, 2015 – USF put together its second-best round of the tournament while Nicole Autrique jumped into the top 30 in the final round of the UCF Challenge on Tuesday afternoon.
The Bulls finished in 17th place at 32 over after collecting nine birdies as a team on the final day at Eagle Creek Golf Club. Virginia (-14) won the team title, followed by Tulane (-13), UCF (-6), Vanderbilt (-5), Wisconsin (+6) and Iowa State (+6) in the top five.
Autrique carded a pair of birdies on the back nine and finished in a tie for 29th place at 3 over. The sophomore from Mexico went 1 under on the back nine and shot a 73 a day after carding a 1-under 71.
Maria Rodriguez posted a team-low 70 (-2) in the second round and finished in a tie for 42nd place at 6 over. The sophomore from Colombia collected four birdies in the final round.
Junior Michelle Reyes (Mexico) improved on her first-round total by posting consecutive 3-over 75 scores and finished in a tie for 63rd place at 11 over. Senior Erin Selfridge (Jacksonville) finished three shots away from Reyes after carding a tournament-best 2-over 74 in the second round. Sophomore Ashley Burke (Boynton Beach, Fla.) also carded a 74 in the second round and finished six shots behind Selfridge.
The Bulls started their spring season by tying Miami for first place at the end of regulation at the Florida Challenge on Jan. 26 in Lecanto, Fla. USF jumps back into competition Monday, March 2 at the Hurricane Invitational at Biltmore Golf Course in Miami.
17 South Florida 305 289 302 896 (+32)
T 29 Nicole Autrique 75 71 73 219 (+3)
T 42 Maria Rodriguez 75 70 77 222 (+6)
T 63 Michelle Reyes 77 75 75 227 (+11)
T 78 Erin Selfridge 79 74 77 230 (+14)
T 93 Ashley Burke 78 74 84 236 (+20)
