ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Texas A&M-Corpus Christi golf team concluded the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational at the University of New Mexico on Tuesday, finishing in 19
th place with a score of 920 (+56) while showing improvements as the tournament went on.
The event was held over the course of two days, with the teams completing the first round and most of the second on Monday before inclement weather pushed the rest to the beginning of Tuesday before the final third round. The Islanders saved their best for last at the tournament, recording a score of 299 (+11) to close things out after finishing at 312 and 309 respectively to kick things off.
On the individual side, A&M-Corpus Christi had a pair of athletes finish tied for its top spot, with the honors going to
Samantha Gibbs and
Abir Taibi, who both posted a +10 across the three rounds. Gibbs led the team for the second straight weekend after also doing so at the season-opening Golfweek Fall Challenge in Pawleys Island, South Carolina, a performance this time around that was bolstered by a very nice final round in which she shot one under par to place tied for fifth among all competitors. The senior caught fire to end things, birdieing on three straight holes to finish the back nine at a -2.
As for Taibi, she also put forth her best effort on Tuesday, finishing off her own run at a +1 to make a big gain on her previous scores of +4 and +5. Like Gibbs, she had a very nice back nine on the final day, birdieing the 13
th hole and parring the other eight to go one under in that section.
In third place on the team was
Corrina Haros, who finished at a +17 overall after recording individual rounds of +7, +5 and +5.
Hannah Creekmore came in right behind Haros at a +19 in total, and rounding out the five-woman group was
Ellie Harris at a +28.
The Islanders will now shift their focus to their third straight week of competition to open the year in a week's time, staying in state to compete at the Red Raider Invitational in Lubbock next Tuesday and Wednesday.
The final results for the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational can be found
here.
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