University of Houston Athletics
Monday, September 11
Oakmont Country Club – Corinth, Texas
University of Houston
vs
Sam Golden Invitational
Record First Round Paces Women’s Golf on Monday
9/11/2023 8:13:00 PM | Women's Golf
Live Scoring (GolfStat)First-Day Results (PDF)Pairings (GolfStat)Oakmont Country Club2023-24 ScheduleSupport Houston RiseJoin P.A.R. 4 Club
Cougars open Sam Golden Invitational with 16-under 272; Moa Svedenskiold atop leaderboard at -9
CORINTH, Texas – Using a school-record performance in the First Round, the University of Houston Women's Golf program held the first-day lead at the Sam Golden Invitational at Oakmont Country Club on Monday evening.
The Cougars posted a team score of 16-under 272 through the first 18 holes to grab the team lead. Five of the six Cougars who competed posted par or better in the round with sophomore Moa Svedenskiold leading the way with a 66 and senior Nicole Abelar with a 67.
Making her collegiate debut, freshman Ellen Yates posted a 69 while sophomore Alexa Saldana finished with a 70. Freshman Maelynn Kim added a 70 in the first collegiate event of her career.
The Cougars' First-Round score bested the program's previous low of 14-under 274 in the Final Round at the Trinity Forest Invitational on March 6-7, 2023.
In the afternoon, Houston fired a team total of 276 and finished the day with a score of 28-under 548 to hold an 8-shot lead over Nebraska.
Starting off No. 3 in the morning, Svedenskiold enjoyed one birdie on her first 10 holes before erupting on her final holes. The Halmstad, Sweden, native drained birdies on No. 13 and No. 15 and closed out the round with four straight birdies to finish with a 66.
It marked only the 13th time in program history that a Cougar shot 66 or lower in a round.
Her 66 also set a personal low, topping her previous best of 68, done four times and most recently in the Second Round of the American Athletic Conference Championships (April 18, 2023).
In the afternoon, Svedenskiold again led the Cougars with four birdies on the way to a bogey-free 68. She stood one shot ahead of Tulsa's Allyn Stephens entering Tuesday's Final Round.
In the First Round Yates drained four birdies in a 5-hole stretch at Nos. 11-15 and added back-to-back birdies on No. 18 and No. 1 in her first collegiate round following an award-winning junior career.
In the afternoon, Yates overcame an early bogey to drain four birdies in a seven-hole stretch. The Horsell, England, native endured her final bogey of the day at No. 1 but impressively rebounded with an eagle-2 on the next hole and a birdie on the 508-yard, par-5 third to finish with a 67 and tie for third at 8-under 136.
Like Svedenskiold, Abelar started slow but used a strong kick at the end. The Manila, Philippines, native sank only two birdies on her first 12 holes but ended the round with five birdies on her final six holes, including four straight at Nos. 16-No. 1.
In the afternoon, Abelar rallied from two bogey in her first six holes to sink four consecutive birdies from Nos. 12-15 to finish with a 70. She was tied for fifth at 7-under 137.
Competing as an individual in her first event with the Cougars after transferring from Hawai'i, Hyeonji Kang was tied for 23rd at 3-under 141. The Jeju, South Korea, native opened her Second Round with a birdie and closed the day with birdies on three of her last five holes.
Freshman Maelynn Kim opened her collegiate career with a birdie on the par-4, 352-yard third hole and added another birdie at No. 6 on the way to a 72 in the First Round. The Katy, Texas, native added a 71 in the afternoon play and was tied for 34th at 1-under 143.
UTSA stood in third at 557 while North Texas was in fourth at 559. Tulsa (560), Kennesaw State (560), Missouri (565), Texas Tech (565), BYU (573), TCU (575) and Tulane (575) rounded out the Top 10.
The tournament concludes with the Final Round beginning Tuesday morning.
LIVE SCORING
Fans can follow live scoring at the Sam Golden Invitational by clicking here.
PAIRINGS
For Tuesday's Final Round, Houston will compete in groups with student-athletes from North Texas, UTSA and Nebraska beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Svedenskiold starts the day for the Cougars off No. 1 with Yates (No. 2), Abelar (No. 3), Saldana (8:30 a.m.) and Kim (No. 5) following. Kang begins her round off No. 16.
Fans can find complete pairings by clicking here.
UP NEXT
Following the Sam Golden Invitational, the Cougars continue their fall schedule when they compete at the Schooner Fall Classic at Belmar Golf Club in Norman, Okla., on Sept. 23-25.
From there, the team tees off at the Illini Invitational at Medinah on Oct. 9-10 at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill.
SUPPORT HOUSTON RISE
Join Houston Rise, a $150 million fundraising campaign for Houston Athletics dedicated to championship success in the Big 12 Conference.
Every Houston Rise contribution prepares our Cougars to compete and win when we start Big 12 competition in July 2023. Click here to rise and be counted.
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. 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.
The Cougars posted a team score of 16-under 272 through the first 18 holes to grab the team lead. Five of the six Cougars who competed posted par or better in the round with sophomore Moa Svedenskiold leading the way with a 66 and senior Nicole Abelar with a 67.
Making her collegiate debut, freshman Ellen Yates posted a 69 while sophomore Alexa Saldana finished with a 70. Freshman Maelynn Kim added a 70 in the first collegiate event of her career.
The Cougars' First-Round score bested the program's previous low of 14-under 274 in the Final Round at the Trinity Forest Invitational on March 6-7, 2023.In the afternoon, Houston fired a team total of 276 and finished the day with a score of 28-under 548 to hold an 8-shot lead over Nebraska.
Starting off No. 3 in the morning, Svedenskiold enjoyed one birdie on her first 10 holes before erupting on her final holes. The Halmstad, Sweden, native drained birdies on No. 13 and No. 15 and closed out the round with four straight birdies to finish with a 66.
It marked only the 13th time in program history that a Cougar shot 66 or lower in a round.
Her 66 also set a personal low, topping her previous best of 68, done four times and most recently in the Second Round of the American Athletic Conference Championships (April 18, 2023).
In the afternoon, Svedenskiold again led the Cougars with four birdies on the way to a bogey-free 68. She stood one shot ahead of Tulsa's Allyn Stephens entering Tuesday's Final Round.
In the First Round Yates drained four birdies in a 5-hole stretch at Nos. 11-15 and added back-to-back birdies on No. 18 and No. 1 in her first collegiate round following an award-winning junior career.
In the afternoon, Yates overcame an early bogey to drain four birdies in a seven-hole stretch. The Horsell, England, native endured her final bogey of the day at No. 1 but impressively rebounded with an eagle-2 on the next hole and a birdie on the 508-yard, par-5 third to finish with a 67 and tie for third at 8-under 136.
Like Svedenskiold, Abelar started slow but used a strong kick at the end. The Manila, Philippines, native sank only two birdies on her first 12 holes but ended the round with five birdies on her final six holes, including four straight at Nos. 16-No. 1.
In the afternoon, Abelar rallied from two bogey in her first six holes to sink four consecutive birdies from Nos. 12-15 to finish with a 70. She was tied for fifth at 7-under 137.
Competing as an individual in her first event with the Cougars after transferring from Hawai'i, Hyeonji Kang was tied for 23rd at 3-under 141. The Jeju, South Korea, native opened her Second Round with a birdie and closed the day with birdies on three of her last five holes.
Freshman Maelynn Kim opened her collegiate career with a birdie on the par-4, 352-yard third hole and added another birdie at No. 6 on the way to a 72 in the First Round. The Katy, Texas, native added a 71 in the afternoon play and was tied for 34th at 1-under 143.
UTSA stood in third at 557 while North Texas was in fourth at 559. Tulsa (560), Kennesaw State (560), Missouri (565), Texas Tech (565), BYU (573), TCU (575) and Tulane (575) rounded out the Top 10.
The tournament concludes with the Final Round beginning Tuesday morning.
LIVE SCORING
Fans can follow live scoring at the Sam Golden Invitational by clicking here.
PAIRINGS
For Tuesday's Final Round, Houston will compete in groups with student-athletes from North Texas, UTSA and Nebraska beginning at 8:30 a.m.
Svedenskiold starts the day for the Cougars off No. 1 with Yates (No. 2), Abelar (No. 3), Saldana (8:30 a.m.) and Kim (No. 5) following. Kang begins her round off No. 16.
Fans can find complete pairings by clicking here.
UP NEXT
Following the Sam Golden Invitational, the Cougars continue their fall schedule when they compete at the Schooner Fall Classic at Belmar Golf Club in Norman, Okla., on Sept. 23-25.
From there, the team tees off at the Illini Invitational at Medinah on Oct. 9-10 at Medinah Country Club in Medinah, Ill.
SUPPORT HOUSTON RISE
Join Houston Rise, a $150 million fundraising campaign for Houston Athletics dedicated to championship success in the Big 12 Conference.
Every Houston Rise contribution prepares our Cougars to compete and win when we start Big 12 competition in July 2023. Click here to rise and be counted.
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. 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.
– UHCougars.com –
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