Eighth-ranked Razorbacks in South Carolina

FAYETTEVILLE – The eighth-ranked University of Arkansas women’s golf team is looking for its sixth consecutive top five finish of the season at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate at Hilton Head Island, S.C., this weekend.

Arkansas is coming off of back-to-back runner-up finishes in which two different Razorbacks have earned medalist honors this spring.

The 18-team tournament takes place at Long Cove Club and features a private concert from Rucker after the practice round.

“This is a great event,” Arkansas head coach Shauna Estes-Taylor said.  “It is run really well at a great golf course and it’s just a great experience for our players.  (Assistant coach) Mike (Adams) and I really enjoy getting back to our home state and representing Arkansas with our family and friends.”

Arkansas opened the spring with a runner-up finish at the Puerto Rico Classic where two-time All-American Emily Tubert got her first win of the season.  They followed up with another runner-up finish at the Westbrook Invitational in Arizona where freshman Gabriela Lopez picked up her first collegiate win.  Both players earned weekly honors from the Southeastern Conference for their wins.

This week, Arkansas faces a tough field that includes SEC members No. 4 Alabama, No. 11 Vanderbilt, No. 14 Georgia, No. 29 Tennessee, No. 35 LSU, No. 37 Auburn and No. 46 South Carolina along with No. 3 North Carolina, No. 17 Arizona State, No. 19 Virginia, No. 42 Central Florida, No. 44 Wake Forest, No. 57 TCU and No. 69 Furman.

“This is a great field,” Estes-Taylor said.  “We are excited about the opportunity to get back out on the golf course and test ourselves against some of the best teams in college golf.  I really like where our team is at right now. Everything we are doing is preparing us for the championship part of our schedule and I think we get better each time we play.”

The Razorbacks have two more regular season events before traveling to Birmingham, Ala., for the SEC Championship in mid-April.