Thursday, May 20
Whirlwind Golf Club – Chandler, Ariz.
University of Houston
vs
Let Them Play Classic
Saenz Ties School Record in First Round of LTP Classic
5/20/2021 9:32:00 PM | Women's Golf
Senior fires 7-under 65 to equal low round in UH history and leads at 8-under entering Friday’s Final Round
CHANDLER, Ariz. – University of Houston senior Ariana Saenz tied a school record with a 7-under 65 and stood in first with a score of 8-under 136 following the first day of the Barstool Sports' Let Them Play Classic on Thursday afternoon.
Saenz and her Cougar teammates are competing in this season-ending tournament after the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional was canceled week due to wet weather without a single stroke being played. Schools received a waiver from the NCAA providing an exception in the competition rules, allowing those participating schools impacted by the Regional cancellation to play in an additional season-ending event.
The day did not begin well for the Porter, Texas, native as she made bogey on the par-4 first hole on the 6,187-yard par-72 The Cattail Course. Fortunately, that would be the only blemish on her scorecard for the next 17 holes.
Saenz returned to even par with a birdie on the second hole and moved to red numbers for the rest of the round with another birdie on the par-3 second hole
Following three straight pars, Saenz made the first eagle in tournament history on the 487-yard, par-5 seventh hole and capped her front nine with a birdie at No 9.
She opened her back nine with two pars and then drained three birdies in a four-hole stretch at Nos. 12-5 before finishing the round with three straight pars.
Saenz became only the second Cougar in school history to shoot 65 or better in any round, joining All-American and two-time American Athletic Conference Player of the Year Leonie Harm. She also became the first Cougar to shoot 65 or lower in the First Round of any tournament, topping the 66s recorded by Harm (The American Championships, April 16, 2017); Courtney Tibiletti (Clover Cup, March 19, 2017) and Harm (MountainView Collegiate (March 10, 2017).
Harm finished with a 65 in the Final Round of the NCAA Austin Regional (May 9, 2018) and most recently in the Second Round of the Jim West Challenge (Oct. 28, 2018).
In the afternoon, Saenz against posted the team's low round of the day with an even-par 72 on the 6,170-yard Devil's Claw Course, thanks for four birdies with a pair on each side.
As a team, Houston fired a score of 429 – thanks to a tournament-leading 205 in the First Round – and were tied for second with Purdue. North Texas held the team lead at 422, with Mississippi State (433) and Oregon State (444) rounding out the Top-Five leaders. Low three individual scores counted toward the team total at this event.
Junior Maria Jose Martinez posted a bogey-free 68 in the First Round and was tied with Mississippi State's Blair Stockett for fifth at 142. North Texas teammates Lauren Cox and Audrey Tan stood at 2-3 in the standings at 138 and 139, respectively, with Purdue's Danielle DuToit in fourth at 141.
In the morning session, the Alvardo, Mexico, native opened the tournament with a bogey at No. 1 and capped her front nine with a bogey at the 371-yard, par-4 ninth. After seven straight pars to open her back nine, Martinez wrapped up her First Round with back-to-back bogeys.
American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year Zoe Slaughter tied for 27th at 151, while fellow All-American Athletic Conference performer freshman Delaney Martin was tied for 36th at 154.
The two-day, 54-hole event wraps up with the Final Round on Friday morning on The Cattail course.
LIVE SCORING
Fans can follow live scoring from the Let Them Play Classic by clicking here.
PAIRINGS
Complete Final Round pairings can be found when finalized by clicking here.
JOIN the P.A.R. 4 CLUB
Fans are invited to join The P.A.R. 4 Club to support Houston Women's Golf. P.A.R. 4 Club members provide financial support directly to Houston Women's Golf for needs beyond the program's operating budget.
Fans who join the P.A.R. 4 Club can begin receiving benefits for as little as $100 annually.
To join the P.A.R. 4 Club, fans can email gchadwel@central.uh.edu. For more information about the P.A.R. 4 Club, levels of giving and benefits, fans can click here.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarWGolf on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarWGolf or on the team's Instagram page at UHCougarWGolf.
Saenz and her Cougar teammates are competing in this season-ending tournament after the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional was canceled week due to wet weather without a single stroke being played. Schools received a waiver from the NCAA providing an exception in the competition rules, allowing those participating schools impacted by the Regional cancellation to play in an additional season-ending event.
The day did not begin well for the Porter, Texas, native as she made bogey on the par-4 first hole on the 6,187-yard par-72 The Cattail Course. Fortunately, that would be the only blemish on her scorecard for the next 17 holes.
Saenz returned to even par with a birdie on the second hole and moved to red numbers for the rest of the round with another birdie on the par-3 second hole
Following three straight pars, Saenz made the first eagle in tournament history on the 487-yard, par-5 seventh hole and capped her front nine with a birdie at No 9.
She opened her back nine with two pars and then drained three birdies in a four-hole stretch at Nos. 12-5 before finishing the round with three straight pars.
Saenz became only the second Cougar in school history to shoot 65 or better in any round, joining All-American and two-time American Athletic Conference Player of the Year Leonie Harm. She also became the first Cougar to shoot 65 or lower in the First Round of any tournament, topping the 66s recorded by Harm (The American Championships, April 16, 2017); Courtney Tibiletti (Clover Cup, March 19, 2017) and Harm (MountainView Collegiate (March 10, 2017).
Harm finished with a 65 in the Final Round of the NCAA Austin Regional (May 9, 2018) and most recently in the Second Round of the Jim West Challenge (Oct. 28, 2018).
In the afternoon, Saenz against posted the team's low round of the day with an even-par 72 on the 6,170-yard Devil's Claw Course, thanks for four birdies with a pair on each side.
As a team, Houston fired a score of 429 – thanks to a tournament-leading 205 in the First Round – and were tied for second with Purdue. North Texas held the team lead at 422, with Mississippi State (433) and Oregon State (444) rounding out the Top-Five leaders. Low three individual scores counted toward the team total at this event.
Junior Maria Jose Martinez posted a bogey-free 68 in the First Round and was tied with Mississippi State's Blair Stockett for fifth at 142. North Texas teammates Lauren Cox and Audrey Tan stood at 2-3 in the standings at 138 and 139, respectively, with Purdue's Danielle DuToit in fourth at 141.
In the morning session, the Alvardo, Mexico, native opened the tournament with a bogey at No. 1 and capped her front nine with a bogey at the 371-yard, par-4 ninth. After seven straight pars to open her back nine, Martinez wrapped up her First Round with back-to-back bogeys.
American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year Zoe Slaughter tied for 27th at 151, while fellow All-American Athletic Conference performer freshman Delaney Martin was tied for 36th at 154.
The two-day, 54-hole event wraps up with the Final Round on Friday morning on The Cattail course.
LIVE SCORING
Fans can follow live scoring from the Let Them Play Classic by clicking here.
PAIRINGS
Complete Final Round pairings can be found when finalized by clicking here.
JOIN the P.A.R. 4 CLUB
Fans are invited to join The P.A.R. 4 Club to support Houston Women's Golf. P.A.R. 4 Club members provide financial support directly to Houston Women's Golf for needs beyond the program's operating budget.
Fans who join the P.A.R. 4 Club can begin receiving benefits for as little as $100 annually.
To join the P.A.R. 4 Club, fans can email gchadwel@central.uh.edu. For more information about the P.A.R. 4 Club, levels of giving and benefits, fans can click here.
STAY CONNECTED
Fans can receive updates by following @UHCougarWGolf on Twitter and catch up with the latest news and notes on the team by clicking LIKE on the team's Facebook page at UHCougarWGolf or on the team's Instagram page at UHCougarWGolf.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
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