by LUBBOCK, Texas – Gabby Barker (Shosone/Paiute) sunk five birdies Tuesday, including four over her final six holes, to finish sixth individually and lead Texas Tech to an eighth-place showing as a team at the Bruzzy Challenge hosted at the Maridoe Golf Club in Carrollton.
Barker matched the lowest round of the day among the 81-player field as she signed a 1-over-par 73 card that was her best of the tournament. Her strong play over the final 18 holes matched Houston’s Leonie Harm and TCU’s Greta Bruner for the lowest score during the third round.
It was the second top-10 finish already this season for Barker, who ended the tournament at 8-over following 75 and 76 rounds Monday. She previously finished fourth in late October at the Trinity Forest Invitational, which was also held in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
As a team, Tech closed the final round in the same spot it started as the Red Raiders compiled a 26-over 314 card that was the seventh-lowest in the 15-team field. Tech ended the tournament at 65-over 929 overall, which was six strokes back of San Diego State in seventh place and nine behind Missouri in sixth.
In addition to Barker, Lauren Mason also carded a strong final round with a 3-over 75 that pushed her into a tie for 13th overall at 13-over for the tournament. It marked the fifth top-20 finish this year for Mason and her third already this spring.
Amy Taylor added a 9-over card to finish in a tie with Mami Yamamoto in 51st place at 23-over for the tournament. Yamamoto and Louisa Brunt both registered 13-over rounds, meanwhile, to close out the event.
Texas A&M held on to win the tournament as the Aggies finished 43-over for the tournament, two strokes better than both Iowa State and Houston in second place. TCU and BYU rounded out the top five at 51-over and 53-over, respectively.
The Red Raiders will return to the links in less than a week for the Dale McNamara Invitational, which runs April 9-10 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The tournament is one of two final events for Tech prior to the Big 12 Championships on April 20-22 at the Dallas Athletic Club.
