November 23, 2024

Gabby Barker (Shoshone/Paiute) leads the pack after a career-best 66 in the opening round of the Lady Puerto Rico Classic

RIO GRANDE, Puerto Rico —The No. 25 ranked Texas Tech women’s golf team finds itself in a tie for first place following Sunday’s first round of the 2016 Lady Puerto Rico Classic. The Lady Raiders carded a combined 283 (under-5) and are tied with No. 5 ranked Georgia.

Texas Tech sits atop the 16-team field after carding 18 birdies in round one. The Lady Raiders finished six strokes ahead of No. 8 Arkansas and seven ahead of both No. 6 Northwestern and No. 27 North Carolina State heading into Monday’s second round.

“I’m really pleased with the team’s performance today,” Texas Tech head coach JoJo Robertson said. “We got off to a slow start, but we battled back. It’s great to watch them compete out there.”

Sophomore Gabby Barker (Shoshone/Paiute) led the Lady Raiders as she concluded round one atop the individual leaderboard with a career-best 66 (under-6). Barker’s 66 marked her new career best 18-hole round, topping her previous low of 67, shot at the Web.com Intercollegiate on March 31, 2015.

Barker’s performance was followed by senior Sarah Brown and sophomore Lauren Mason, who both shot a 72 (even) and ended the day in an eight-way tie for 12th place. Freshmen Mami Yamamoto and Emma Ballad closed out the team’s first round score with a 73 (plus-1) and 84 (plus-12) respectively.

The Lady Raiders begin tomorrow’s second round shotgun start at 7 a.m. CT. Live results will be available at birdiefire.com.