Feb. 11, 2017 By Jerry Hill
Baylor Bear Foundation
Following a four-year run at the Northrop Grumman Invitational in Palos Verdes, Calif., including a tournament title in 2015, Baylor women's golf coach Jay Goble decided to "mix it up a little bit and go somewhere else."
For the first time since 2012, the 21st-ranked Lady Bears will not open the spring season in California, instead heading to the Lady Puerto Rico Classic that begins Sunday at par-72 Rio Mar Country Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico.
The three-day tournament features an NCAA regional-quality field with 11 top-50 teams, headed by fifth-ranked Georgia, No. 8 Furman and No. 9 Arkansas. Also in the 15-team tournament are host and 12th-ranked Purdue, No. 15 Kent State, No. 31 North Carolina State, 33rd-ranked Michigan, No. 34 TCU, No. 38 Texas Tech and No. 42 Augusta, along with Iowa State, Vanderbilt, Maryland and LSU.
"I think something that is going to be great for us is the fact that a lot of schools are really good, but a lot of them are northern, and they might not have had a chance to get on the grass and play a lot of golf like we have," Goble said. "So, I think it's going to be good that we're going to have an opportunity to start the year out there in good weather. We've had great weather here, and I believe we're ready to go."
After an intense seven rounds of qualifying, Baylor's lineup includes senior Maggie Beth Byers, junior transfer Amy Lee, sophomores Dylan Kim and Maria Vesga and freshman Fiona Liddell.
"It was mentally pretty taxing, but I'm glad it's over and we're going to the event," said Kim, a 2015 All-American who led the qualifying. "I played solid in qualifying, so that was a confidence boost."
Four of the five players were in the lineup when Baylor won the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown in the fall with a 36-hole total of 26-under-par 551.
After missing all but one tournament last year, undergoing a surgery in October 2015 to remove a benign leg tumor, Kim appears to be returning to form. She had three top-25 finishes in five fall tournaments, averaging 73.42 strokes per round.
"Obviously, we knew it would be a long road for her to get back where she wanted it, and I still don't feel like she's 100 percent yet," Goble said. "But, she played great in qualifying and was low by quite a few. You can see flashes of brilliance coming back. I feel confident by the end of the year she will be firing on all cylinders."
Lee had three top-five finishes in the fall, including a win at the Las Vegas tournament, and recorded a team-best 71.17-stroke average. Vesga was next at 72.83, followed by Liddell (73.22), Kim and Byers (74.00).
"The exciting thing for me is I don't think we played our best golf in the fall," Goble said. "If we can continually improve throughout each tournament during the spring, by the time we get to postseason, we should be in good shape."
Baylor is paired with Kent State and Furman for Sunday's opening round, which begins with a 7 a.m. CST shotgun start.
This is just the second time Baylor has played in the Puerto Rico tournament. IN 2010, the Lady Bears tied for sixth in a 16-team field, with Hannah Burke tying for second individually at 4-under 212.
Live scoring for the tournament is available at ww.birdiefire.com.
WACO, Texas -- Baylor women's golf begins its spring season on Sunday at the 2017 Lady Puerto Rico Classic. The three-day, 54-hole event runs Sunday through Tuesday at the par-72 Rio Mar Country Club in Rio Grande, P.R.
The 15-team field features 11 teams ranked among the nation's top 50 in the latest GolfStat rankings, including five of the nation's top 15 teams. No. 21 Baylor is joined by No. 5 Georgia, No. 8 Furman, No. 9 Arkansas, tournament-host No. 12 Purdue, No. 15 Kent State, No. 31 North Carolina State, No. 33 Michigan, No. 34 TCU, No. 38 Texas Tech and No. 42 Augusta.
Baylor's lineup features redshirt sophomore Dylan Kim, junior Amy Lee, sophomore Maria Vesga, freshman Fiona Liddell and senior Maggie Beth Byers. BU players are paired with golfers from Kent State and Furman.
Sunday's first round is a 7 a.m. CT shotgun start. Kim will begin from the fourth tee, Lee will start from No. 5, Vesga and Liddell will tee off on No. 6 and Byers will start from the seventh tee.
Baylor is playing in the tournament for the first time since 2010, when it finished tied for sixth place in a 16-team field and Hannah Burke tied for second individually at 4-under 212.
Baylor finished among the top four teams in four of its five fall tournaments, including a championship at the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown. BU compiled a 58-14-1 head-to-head record over five events. The Lady Bears were led by Lee, who posted a 71.17 stroke average and earned three top-five individual finishes.
Follow @BaylorWGolf on Twitter for updates throughout the season.
