DADE CITY, Fla. – The No. 21 Florida Southern College women's golf team opened the 2023 Sunshine State Conference Championships Sunday at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club where the Moccasins carded a team score of 314 (+26) on the par-72 6,069-yard South Course.
The Mocs saw
Loren Perez,
Lacey Tucker,
Elizabeth Harding,
Marissa Cardenas, and
Taylor Zachary all take the course to represent the Red and White for the championship. For Sunday's round, late morning tee times and afternoon play saw the 50-player field battle the blistering heat.
The veteran core for the Mocs,
Loren Perez and
Lacey Tucker, are charging out in front for FSC where the duo shot nearly identical rounds with Perez at 76 (+4) and Tucker a 77 (+5). Both Perez and Tucker tied for the team lead in pars with 11 for the first round in which Perez is tied for 20th place and Tucker in 26th.
In her SSC Championship debut,
Taylor Zachary started off well with three straight pars followed by a birdie on the par-3 No. 4 that features water and a green that slopes to water hazards. Zachary hit her shot left of the pin and deep which set her up to face a downhill putt, which she followed up with a nice finish for the birdie. The Land O' Lakes, Fla. native finished her round at seven-over 79 and sits tied for 36th.
Elizabeth Harding, who also tied for the team lead in pars with 11, and
Marissa Cardenas are nearly tied with just a two-stroke difference. Harding finished Sunday's hot round with an 82 (+10) while Cardenas made an 84 (+12) with Harding in 43rd and Cardenas in 46th.
As a team, Florida Southern made 50 pars throughout the first 18 holes of the tournament with five birdies. Perez and Zachary each made two birdies while Tucker had one Sunday.
No. 1 Lynn is leading the team standings by five strokes after a first-round even-par 288. The Fighting Knights' Sara Ericsson holds a one-stroke advantage on the individual matchups after an opening four-under 68.
9th – Florida Southern – 314 (+26)
T20 -
Loren Perez – 76 (+4)
T26 -
Lacey Tucker – 77 (+5)
T36 -
Taylor Zachary – 79 (+7)
43 -
Elizabeth Harding – 82 (+10)
46 -
Marissa Cardenas – 84 (+12)
No. 21 Florida Southern and the rest of the 10-team field returns to action Monday for the second round, with tee times starting at 7:45 a.m. at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club.
