Sept. 27, 2009

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Florida State junior Macarena Silva won the first individual title of her collegiate career and led the No. 8 Seminole women's golf team to the championship of the University of Kentucky / Bettie Lou Fall Invitational on the Big Blue Course at the University Club of Kentucky. Silva finished with a career-low tying 36-hole total of 143 in the two-round tournament and finished in a tie for first place in the individual standings with Paula Hurtado of Florida International. Florida State finished in first place with a five-stroke victory over UCF.

The event was shortened to two rounds after Saturday's second round was cancelled because of heavy rain in the Lexington area.

The Seminoles, who are ranked No. 8 in this week's GolfWeek/Sagrain Power Rankings, led the event wire-to-wire in gaining their first team victory of the fall 2009 season and first since winning the spring 2008 LSU Invitational. The win was the 22nd of her Florida State coaching career for head coach Debbie Dillman.

"The two hardest things for a team to do are to win when you lead wire to wire and to win when you are expected to," said Dillman. "Golf is a funny game that way but these kids accomplished both tasks."

Silva (Santiago, Chile) took the lead in the first round and remained in first during the second round share medalist honors. She was one over par on both sides of the course with one birdie on the front side and two birdies on the back side. Silva overcame back-to-back holes with a bogey and a double bogey on holes 14 and 15 only to regain her composure and finish tied at the top of the individual standings. Hurtado played her final round at two-under par to move from a tie for fifth entering the final round into a tie with Florida State's Silva in the final standings.

Silva had moved out in front with birdies on holes 11 and 13 to move to one-under par. She closed the event with three consecutive holes at par to claim her first co-championship as a Seminole.

"Playing in this tournament was a great learning experience for the young players and a great confidence boost for all of our players," said Dillman. "I was really proud of Maca, who went wire to wire and made some clutch putts coming in."

Senior Lacey Agnew (Jonesboro, Ga.) finished in fifth place in the individual standings as she carded a two-under par 71 in the final round to finish with a 146 total for the 36 holes played. After earning scores of par on her first two holes, she quickly went low with a birdie and an eagle on holes four and five to move under par - where she stayed for the remainder of the round. She was as many as four strokes under par in earning her second score in the 60's in as many events. Agnew carded a career-best 65 in the second round of the season-opening Cougar Classic.

Agnew has now gained two consecutive top five placings after finishing in second place in the individual standings at the Cougar Classic. Agnew has now gained the first two top five finishes of her career in the first two tournaments of her senior season.

Sophomore Hannah Thomson (Perth, Australia) shot a 72 in the final round and finished in 13th place with a two-round total of 148. She carded four birdies in the round which allowed her to finish with a score of 72 or better for the second time in three rounds. Thomson closed the Cougar Classic with a career-low score of 71.

Freshman Jessica Negron (Ocala, Fla.) earned the second top 20 finish of her career with a tied for 19th place standing in the individual standings. She carded identical scores of 75 to finish with a total of 150. She has now carded scores of 75 or better in each of the first five rounds of her collegiate career including a career best 68 in the third round of the Cougar Classic. Freshman Mary Beth Ramsay (Orlando, Fla.) earned the best finish of her two tournament Seminole career with a tied for 45th placing.

The Seminoles travel to play at the Eat-A-Peach Invitational in Macon, Ga. Oct. 4-5 in their third of four fall events.

University of Kentucky - Bettie Lou Evans Fall Invitational/Sept. 25-27, 2009
University Club of Kentucky/Lexington, Ky./Par 72/Final FSU Results
1/15.   Florida State      298   289   587
T1.     Macarena Silva     70    73    143
5.      Lacey Agnew        77    69    146
13.     Hannah Thomson     76    72    148
T19.    Jessica Negron     75    75    150
T46.    Mary Beth Ramsay   78    79    157

University of Kentucky - Bettie Lou Evans Fall Invitational/Sept. 25-27, 2009
University Club of Kentucky/Lexington, Ky./Par 72/Final Team Results
1.   Florida State         587   T8.   M. Tennessee St.    612
2.   UCF                   592   T10.  Mississippi State   614
T3.  Chattanooga           598   T10.  Augusta State       614
T3.  Notre Dame            598   T10.  Kentucky (B)        614
5.   Kennesaw State        601   13.   Miami               619
6.   Coastal Carolina      607   14.   Kentucky (A)        621
7.   Texas State           608   15.   Princeton           629
T8.  Fla. International    612

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