Freshman Gonzalez shoots record 66, wins WTAMU Invitational title

Rattlers finish second as a team

By Chad Peters | St. Mary's Athletics Communications

AMARILLO, Texas — St. Mary's women's golf coach Chris Massoletti joked about how easy it was to coach his freshman phenom Maria Regina Gonzalez in Tuesday's final round of the West Texas A&M Invitational.

"Just get out of her way," he said.

By the end of the tournament, there was no one left standing in Gonzalez's way.

Gonzalez, a native of San Miguel, Mexico, shattered numerous records en route to taking home the individual championship and leading St. Mary's to second place overall at La Paloma Golf Club.

Gonzalez shot 5-under-par for the tournament, including a second-round 66 that was a course record and also marks the best round ever posted by a Rattler women's golfer, beating the 68 teammate Allison Howarth shot at the WNMU Fall Intercollegiate on Sept. 22, 2014.

"She was phenomenal today," coach Chris Massoletti said of Gonzalez. "The course was playing tough, wind was blowing all day and she never let it phase her. She played like a veteran — poised, mature and intelligent. It was easy to coach."

Rattler Paige Weiss joined Gonzalez with a top-five finish, shooting 146 following a second-round 76. Kelly Contreras finished tied for 11^th after carding a 154, while Allison Howarth shot 159 to tie for 27^th. Haley Keller shot 164 for the tournament.

After entering the final round with a slight lead, St. Mary's was edged by West Texas A&M by a single stroke for the tournament title. The Lady Buffs won with a stroke total of 597 compared to the Rattlers' 598. It marked the Rattlers' second straight second-place finish after finishing No. 2 at the Western New Mexico Invitational on Sept. 22.

On the individual side, Gonzalez held off a furious finish from West Texas A&M's Glory Jangthongsiri, whose second-round 68 left her one stroke behind Gonzalez at 140 on the final leaderboard.

For complete results, click here.

"Our freshmen are really stepping up and competing," Massoletti said. "We just need a little help from our veterans and we will be tough to beat."

Gonzalez becomes the ninth student-athlete in St. Mary's Women's Golf history to win a tournament title. Jillian Wyne (2001-2003) is the school's all-time record holder with 11 tournament championships.

St. Mary's will wrap up the fall portion of its schedule next week, when it travels to compete in the Dallas Baptist Invitational in Dallas beginning Monday, Oct. 12.

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Players Mentioned

Kelly Contreras: 5' 0"; Sophomore

Allison Howarth: Redshirt Junior

Haley Keller: Senior

Maria Regina Gonzalez: Freshman

Paige Weiss: 5' 6"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

Kelly Contreras
: 5' 0"; Sophomore

Allison Howarth
: Redshirt Junior

Haley Keller
: Senior

Maria Regina Gonzalez
: Freshman

Paige Weiss
: 5' 6"; Freshman

St. Mary's University Athletics

Scoreboard

Freshman Gonzalez shoots record 66, wins WTAMU Invitational title

Rattlers finish second as a team

Players Mentioned

Kelly Contreras

Allison Howarth

Haley Keller

Maria Regina Gonzalez

Paige Weiss

Players Mentioned

Kelly Contreras

Allison Howarth

Haley Keller

Maria Regina Gonzalez

Paige Weiss

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