Wilczek Has Strong Showing at The Patriot

PHOENIX — St. Mary's University golfer Taylor Wilczek finished the Patriot All-America Invitational with a three-round total of 218, placing in a tie for 56th place at the prestigious tournament.
 
Wilczek, a sophomore from Anthem, Ariz., posted rounds of 73, 69 and 76 on the par-70 Wigwam Resort course. Wilczek was one of only a handful of Division II athletes in the field of All-Americans, which is consistently considered a Class A tournament by the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
 
Monday was the best round for Wilczek, as she collected two birdies, with 15 pars and only one bogey, turning in a one-under-par 69. It is the third time she's shot a round in the 60s this season. For the tournament, Wilczek compiled eight birdies, seven bogeys, four double bogeys and 35 pars.
 
University of Texas at Austin senior Bohyun Park is going home with prestigious Folded Flag trophy and Bomber Jacket after winning the women's division. Park dominated during the entire final round on the Blue Course, posting a -7 (63) to set a Patriot Women's Division scoring record at -15 overall (195). 
 
The Patriot All-America Invitational features PING All-Americans from the previous season in NCAA Divisions I, II and III, NAIA and NJCAA; as well as 2022 First Team All-America Seniors from the AJGA and other special invitees. The 54-hole amateur event is known as the first of its kind to combine the talents of 156 nationally recognized men and women golfers simultaneously at one tournament.
 
Conducted in a partnership with the GCAA, WGCA, the West Valley Mavericks, The Patriot All-America LLC and the Arizona Golf Association, The Patriot All-America honors fallen or severely wounded soldiers and first responders in collaboration with the Folds of Honor Foundation. The golfers receive a golf bag provided by PING Corporation at the event's opening ceremony emblazoned with the name and branch of service of a fallen or injured military member whom they shall represent. Participants also receive a card with the soldier's story so they can become familiar with that soldier. The golf bags are then sold by the players' college or university, and proceeds are donated to Folds of Honor to support the families affected.
 
During the tournament, Wilczek honored Nino D. Livaudais, who was killed on April 3, 2003, near Haditha Dam in western Iraq when his unit approached a vehicle in an attempt to help a screaming pregnant woman. In an apparent suicide attack, a bomb in the vehicle detonated, killing the two female occupants along with Nino and two other fellow servicemen. Livaudais was a Staff Sargeant with the Army from Ogden, Utah, who was a Squad Leader with Company A, 3d Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, Fort Benning, Georgia. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star Medal for Valor and the Purple Heart.
 
Wilczek and the Rattlers kick off the spring season on February 3 at the Jack Brown Memorial Invitational in Laredo.