Event: Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational
Where: University of Texas Golf Course – Austin, Tex.
When: March 26 through 28, all day
Who to watch: Freshman Demi Runas finished in second place at UC Davis’ last tournament, the Juli Inkster Spartan Invitational. It was the first top-five finish of her career.
The Torrance, Calif. native has finished in the top-20 in each of the five tournaments she’s played in this year – four times in the top-ten.
Runas is averaging a team-best 73.8 strokes per-round.
Did you know? This is the Aggies’ final tournament before the Big West Championship begins on April 18 in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Preview: No. 23 UC Davis has had a strong start to the spring portion of its season. The Aggies have placed first and second in their two events so far in 2010 and will be looking to extend their hot streak in Texas.
Their success this year has been due in large part to a combination of good performances from young players and strong veterans.
Runas and fellow freshmen Amy Simanton and Belen Hernandez have been key part of the UC Davis squad and are continuing to grow and progress as players.
Each of the Aggies’ freshmen has played in at least four tournaments so far this season. All three have finished in the top-20 at least twice.
Runas and Simanton both finished in the top-five in UC Davis’ last tournament.
The Aggies are also anchored by some key veterans. Juniors Alice Kim and Chelsea Stelzmiller have been two of UC Davis’ leaders all season.
Both are averaging below 76 strokes per-round and have combined for five top-10 and nine top-20 finishes this season.
Kim has five of the 10 best single-round scores by any Aggie this year – highlighted by 67’s at both the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown and the Turtle Bay Collegiate Invitational.
UC Davis will be counting on both its young guns and its veterans as it heads to Austin, Tex. at the end of the month.
– Trevor Cramer
