Women’s golf sets sights on Central Florida Challenge

TUSCALOOSA | Coming off a victory at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic, the Alabama women’s golf team will travel to Orlando, Fla., to compete in the University of Central Florida Challenge beginning Sunday. The event will be played at the par-72, 6,301-yard Red Tail Country Club.

Three Crimson Tide golfers finished in the top 10 at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic, the Tide’s first competition of the spring. Kathleen Ekey led the charge, finishing in a tie for seventh with a 2-over-par 218. Sarah Sturm and Rhea Nair each posted a 4-over 220 and tied for 10th place.

Sturm was named the Golf World College Female Golfer of the Week, the first weekly honor for the Tide this season. Sturm was joined by UA’s Matthew Swan, who was named the Golf World College Male Golfer of the Week. It is the first time in the history of the two programs that a player from each squad has earned the honor in the same week.

The Tide will face off against a loaded field at the UCF Challenge. All 18 teams are ranked in the top 50 and nine of the top 12 are scheduled to play, including No. 1 Duke and No. 2 UCLA. Alabama is ranked 14th.