University of Houston golfer Maelynn Kim led her team on the first day of the Lady Luck Invitational in Las Vegas, finishing tied for fourth place with a 36-hole score of 145. The Cougars, ranked 30th nationally, ended the day in third place as a team with a total score of 594 at the Las Vegas Country Club.
Senior Moa Svedenskiöld improved her performance from a morning round of 77 to shoot an even-par 72 in the afternoon, tying for 19th place at 149. Another senior, Natalie Saint Germain, started strong with a first-round score of 71 and was tied for 21st at 150 after two rounds. Senior Alexa Saldaña finished the day tied for 30th at 153, while junior Ellen Yates was tied for 44th at 156.
UCF, ranked #16, held the top spot after the opening day with a team score of 584. Kent State (#30) followed four strokes behind. Host school UNLV posted a score of 596, with Oregon State (#49), Northern Arizona, Oklahoma State (#28), Baylor (#19), UTSA and New Mexico completing the top ten teams.
UNLV’s Foong Zi Yu was the only player to finish under par after two rounds with a total score of 140. She led by four shots over Grace Quintanilla (Texas State) and Veronika Kedronova (Kent State). Maria Jose Barragan (BYU) and Pimpisa Sisutham (UCF) joined Kim at fourth place with scores of 145.
The final round is scheduled for Tuesday. The Houston team will play alongside student-athletes from UCF and Kent State starting at 10:30 a.m. CST.
Following this event, Houston will compete next in Tucson, Arizona at the MountainView Collegiate from March 20-22.
Fans are encouraged to support Houston Women’s Golf through NIL opportunities or by joining their fundraising group. Updates about the team are available on social media platforms including X (@UHCougarWGolf), Facebook (UHCougarWGolf), and Instagram (UHCougarWGolf).
