Tuesday, September 12
Oakmont Country Club – Corinth, Texas
University of Houston
vs
Sam Golden Invitational
CHAMPIONS: Women’s Golf Blazes to Sam Golden Invitational Titles
9/12/2023 5:52:00 PM | Women's Golf
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Freshman Ellen Yates earns medalist honors in first collegiate event; Four Cougars among Top-11 leaders
CORINTH, Texas – Less than a day after setting a school record for team low round, the University of Houston Women's Golf program obliterated that mark to sweep the Sam Golden Invitational team and individual championships at Oakmont Country Club on Tuesday afternoon.
After posting a then-school-record 272 in the First Round on the 6,413-yard, par-72 course Monday morning, the Cougars etched a new total in their records book with a score of 20-under 268. Houston finished the two-day, 54-hole tournament with a score of 48-under 816.
Competing in her first collegiate event after an award-winning junior career, freshman Ellen Yates earned medalist honors with a score of 14-under 202, thanks to a bogey-free 66 on Tuesday. She was joined among the Top-10 individual leaders by teammates senior Nicole Abelar (t-2nd), sophomore Moa Svedenskiold (t-7th) and sophomore Alexa Saldana (t-9th).
This marked the ninth team tournament 
championship in school history and the first under Carolyn Macow Leatherwood Head Coach Lydia Gumm.
It was the first team crown since winning the season-opening Mason Rudolph Championship at Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn., to open the 2019-20 season.
Starting the Final Round off No. 2, Yates quickly moved higher on the leaderboard with birdies on three of her first four holes. Following nine straight pars, she drained two more birdies in a 3-hole stretch at Nos. 15-17 and closed the tournament with her sixth and final birdie of the day on the par-4 first hole to finish at 14-under 202.
With her championship, Yates became the fastest student-athlete to earn medalist honors in program history. She bested the previous record held by Svedenskiold, who won the Jim West Challenge in only her third tournament during the 2022-23 season.
The Horsell, England, native also tied the Cougars' 54-hole low record, set by Maria Jose Martinez at the Lone Star Invitational at Golf Club of Houston on April 12-13, 2021.
Abelar used a slew of birdies to tie the best finish of her career. The Manila, Philippines, native started her day off No. 3 with back-to-back birdies and overcame a bogey at No. 6 with another birdie on the par-4 ninth hole.
After another bogey at No. 11, Abelar erupted with four straight birdies and closed the tournament with five straight pars to finish at 12-under 204, setting personal bests in both categories.
Like Abelar, Svedenskiold jumped out to a fast start with three birdies and a bogey in her first six holes. After running into trouble midway through her back nine, the Halmstad, Sweden, native rallied with a birdie on her final hole at No, 18 to tie for seventh at 10-under 206.
Saldana used her own bogey-free 66 to surge 18 spots higher on the leaderboard. Starting her day off No. 4, Saldana drained three straight birdies at Nos. 6-8 and added another birdie on No. 13 and No. 18 before closing the tournament with her sixth birdie on the par-5 third hole.
The Mexico City, Mexico, native enjoyed personal bests for 18-, 36- and 54-hole lows and had the best finish of her collegiate career, topping her 17th-place showing at the MountainView Collegiate (March 17-19, 2023).
Making her collegiate debut, freshman Maelynn Kim fired a 3-under 69 in the Final Round and tied for 22nd at 4-under 212. The Katy, Texas, native opened her day with eight straight pars before draining birdies on No. 13 and No. 15 in a 3-hole stretch.
Kim overcame her lone bogey of the day at No. 2 to close the event with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 3-4.
Competing as an individual in her first Houston event after transferring from Hawai'i, junior Hyeonji Kang finished with a 72 in the Final Round and tied for 30th at 3-under 213.
Host North Texas finished second at 829 while UTSA came in third at 837, Missouri (843), Nebraska (844), Tulsa (844), Texas Tech (847), TCU (855), Kennesaw State (857) and Tulane (864) rounded out the Top-10 leaders.
Yates finished two shots ahead of Abelar, Daniela Abonce (UTSA) and Allyn Stephens (Tulsa) at 204 while Shreya Pal (North Texas)and Michaela Vavrova (Nebraska) tied for fifth at 205.
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.
After posting a then-school-record 272 in the First Round on the 6,413-yard, par-72 course Monday morning, the Cougars etched a new total in their records book with a score of 20-under 268. Houston finished the two-day, 54-hole tournament with a score of 48-under 816.
Competing in her first collegiate event after an award-winning junior career, freshman Ellen Yates earned medalist honors with a score of 14-under 202, thanks to a bogey-free 66 on Tuesday. She was joined among the Top-10 individual leaders by teammates senior Nicole Abelar (t-2nd), sophomore Moa Svedenskiold (t-7th) and sophomore Alexa Saldana (t-9th).
This marked the ninth team tournament championship in school history and the first under Carolyn Macow Leatherwood Head Coach Lydia Gumm.It was the first team crown since winning the season-opening Mason Rudolph Championship at Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tenn., to open the 2019-20 season.
Starting the Final Round off No. 2, Yates quickly moved higher on the leaderboard with birdies on three of her first four holes. Following nine straight pars, she drained two more birdies in a 3-hole stretch at Nos. 15-17 and closed the tournament with her sixth and final birdie of the day on the par-4 first hole to finish at 14-under 202.
With her championship, Yates became the fastest student-athlete to earn medalist honors in program history. She bested the previous record held by Svedenskiold, who won the Jim West Challenge in only her third tournament during the 2022-23 season.
The Horsell, England, native also tied the Cougars' 54-hole low record, set by Maria Jose Martinez at the Lone Star Invitational at Golf Club of Houston on April 12-13, 2021.
Abelar used a slew of birdies to tie the best finish of her career. The Manila, Philippines, native started her day off No. 3 with back-to-back birdies and overcame a bogey at No. 6 with another birdie on the par-4 ninth hole.
After another bogey at No. 11, Abelar erupted with four straight birdies and closed the tournament with five straight pars to finish at 12-under 204, setting personal bests in both categories.
Like Abelar, Svedenskiold jumped out to a fast start with three birdies and a bogey in her first six holes. After running into trouble midway through her back nine, the Halmstad, Sweden, native rallied with a birdie on her final hole at No, 18 to tie for seventh at 10-under 206.
Saldana used her own bogey-free 66 to surge 18 spots higher on the leaderboard. Starting her day off No. 4, Saldana drained three straight birdies at Nos. 6-8 and added another birdie on No. 13 and No. 18 before closing the tournament with her sixth birdie on the par-5 third hole.
The Mexico City, Mexico, native enjoyed personal bests for 18-, 36- and 54-hole lows and had the best finish of her collegiate career, topping her 17th-place showing at the MountainView Collegiate (March 17-19, 2023).Making her collegiate debut, freshman Maelynn Kim fired a 3-under 69 in the Final Round and tied for 22nd at 4-under 212. The Katy, Texas, native opened her day with eight straight pars before draining birdies on No. 13 and No. 15 in a 3-hole stretch.
Kim overcame her lone bogey of the day at No. 2 to close the event with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 3-4.
Competing as an individual in her first Houston event after transferring from Hawai'i, junior Hyeonji Kang finished with a 72 in the Final Round and tied for 30th at 3-under 213.
Host North Texas finished second at 829 while UTSA came in third at 837, Missouri (843), Nebraska (844), Tulsa (844), Texas Tech (847), TCU (855), Kennesaw State (857) and Tulane (864) rounded out the Top-10 leaders.
Yates finished two shots ahead of Abelar, Daniela Abonce (UTSA) and Allyn Stephens (Tulsa) at 204 while Shreya Pal (North Texas)and Michaela Vavrova (Nebraska) tied for fifth at 205.
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.
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