The North Carolina women’s golf team finished in 12th place at the Moon Golf Invitational on Tuesday at the Suntree Country Club in Melbourne, Fla., wrapping up the three-day long competition with a 7-under 281 finish in the third round — the second-best round of the tournament and the best the Tar Heels have put together since 2018. UNC finished just two strokes behind Baylor and Duke, which tied for 10th place.
What happened?
North Carolina had five players competing in the tournament: juniors Krista Junkkari and Kayla Smith, sophomores Nicole Adam and Crista Izuzquiza and first-year Stephany Kim. The 15-team event was also the Tar Heels’ first competition of the spring semester.
The Tar Heels were led in the first round by Smith, who shot a 1-over-par 73 after birdieing three of her final six holes. Izuzquiza also shot 73 in the first round, while Kim shot 75 after shooting 1-under on her back nine, and Junkkari and Adam had 77 and 79, respectively. UNC’s first round score of 298 was enough to earn the 11th spot, one stroke away from Alabama in 10th.
In the second round, Smith and Kim recorded the best score for the Tar Heels, both shooting a 75. Izuzquiza was right behind with a 77, Adam shot a 78 and Junkkari shot a 79. North Carolina’s second round score of 305 bumped the the team down to second-to-last place in the tournament.
Despite the low standing, the Tar Heels were able to climb up thanks to three-under pars in the third round from both Junkkari and Smith, who each recorded scores of 69. Junkkari’s score of 69 came after beginning her first hole with an eagle on the 513-yard par-5 10th hole, then adding two birdies. Smith’s score came after making three birdies and playing bogey-free all day. UNC’s other scores in the third round were a 71 by Adam, 72 by Kim and a 76 by Izuzquiza.
North Carolina’s final score placed them in 12th — just two strokes away from Baylor and Duke who both tied for 10th and six strokes from Arkansas who took ninth. Trailing the Tar Heels were Louisville, Augusta and Miami.
Who stood out?
UNC’s highest finish individually came from Smith, who’s 17th-place finish is her fourth top-20 finish in five tournaments on the season.
