The Texas A&M women’s golf team posted its lowest score of the Seminole Matchup in Tallahassee, Fla., in its final round Sunday, but that’s not why it’s celebrating.
A&M sophomore Bianca Fabrizio claimed the individual title of the event in dramatic fashion by knocking off Furman University’s No. 33 Taylor Totland on the second hole of a sudden death playoff.
Fabrizio held the top spot of the leaderboard following the first and second rounds of the event, which fielded 66 players from 12 different universities, with a three-under 69 and an even-par 72. However, she needed birdies on the 53rd and 54th holes of the competition at the Southwood Golf Course to card a one-over 73 and force the sudden-death playoff with Totland, whose final-round 71 placed her in the same position.
The first playoff hole failed to yield a winner, but the competitive stalemate would not last. On the second hole of playoff action, Fabrizio sank a lengthy 30-foot birdie putt to knock off the nationally ranked Totland and clinch her first career collegiate victory at Texas A&M, marking the first individual victory for A&M in nearly a year.
Fabrizio did not stand as the lone Aggie on the leaderboard, however. Sophomore teammate Marijosse Navarro nearly secured a spot in the playoff after posting a final-round 70. However, her score proved to be one stroke shy of the two-under mark set by Fabrizio and Totland, leaving her in sole possession of third place.
As a team, Texas A&M finished in a tie for fifth with Kennesaw State University at 21 over par, nine strokes behind first place Furman, which, in addition to Totland, had three other players compile 54-hole top-20 finishes.
The Aggies take the week off before heading to Santa Ana, California, for the UC Irvine Invitation that runs Feb. 23-24.