East Lansing, Mich. – Senior Taylor Kehoe tied for 15th place to lead Michigan State’s women’s golf team to an eighth-place finish among 18 teams at the Puerto Rico Classic, played at the Grande Reserve Golf Club (par 72, 6,305 yards) in Rio Grande.
The three-day, 54-hole tournament, which included nine teams ranked among the top-50 in the country, was originally slated for three days but was shortened to two due to inclement weather expected in the area.
The Spartans posted scores of 5-under par 283 and 4-under par 284 to finish at 9-under par 567 through two rounds and finished with a 6-over par 294 to place eighth at 3-under par 861.
No. 4 Arkansas fired a 23-under par 841 to top the field with a 23-under par 841, with No. 15 Ole Miss and No. 10 Vanderbilt tied for second place at 17-under par 847, No. 33 LSU fifth at 14-under par 850 and No. 14 North Carolina closed out the top-five teams at 12-under par 852.
Kehoe led the Spartans, tying for 15th place at 3-under par 213 (70-71-72), with a pair of under-par rounds in Sunday’s first day of play. Her score of 213 is the fourth-best 54-hole score of her career.
Sophomore Grace Vetter and senior Paula Balanzategui each posted scores of even-par 216 and tied for 34th place. Vetter was at 4-under par 140 (69-71) through two rounds and tied her career-best individual round at 3-under par 69 on Sunday. She posted a 4-over par 76 on Sunday. Balanzategui closed with a 3-over par 75 and finished the tournament with two under-par rounds (70-71-75).
Junior Ana Sofia Murcia had the best individual score of the day with a 1-under par 71 and tied for 49th place at 3-over par 219 (74-74-71). Senior Shannon Kennedy tied for 78th place at 8-over par 224 (76-71-77).
Playing as an individual, freshman Memee Pojanalai tied for 59th place at 5-over par 221 (75-71-75).
Michigan State plays next in the Spartan Sun Coast Invitational at the Palm Aire Champions Course in Sarasota, Fla. on Sunday, Feb. 15 and Monday, Feb. 16.