Bruins, Nobilio Lead the Field in Round One of the Blessings

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The UCLA women's golf teams holds a four stroke lead at even par 288 after round one of the Blessings Collegiate Invitational on Monday. The course host, Arkansas, sits in second at 4-over 292 and the next closes competitor is Louisville at 15 over 303. Four Bruins – Alessia Nobilio, Emma Spitz, Ty Akabane and Zoe Antoinette Campos -- blitzed the Blessings Golf Club with four Top 10 finishes in the opening round.
 
The Bruins teed off on hole 10 and finished play on the front nine.
 
After her first college tournament last weekend, freshman Alessia Nobilio leads the field at 3-under 69. Nobody on the course performed like Nobilio on the back nine, recording three birdies and no bogeys to go a 3-under 33. Nobilio's three front-nine birdies on the par-5 5th, par-4 6th and par-4 9th were negated by bogies to finish at even par 36. Nobilio leads Arkansas' Brooke Matthews by two strokes on the individual leader board.
 
Junior Emma Spitz, who returned to the starting lineup after not playing at The Molly Intercollegiate, closed out day one by picking up four birdies on the par-5 2nd, par-3 3rd, par-5 5th and par-4 6th to finish even par 72.
 
Redshirt sophomore Ty Akabane and freshman Zoe Antoinette Campos tied for seventh with a pair of 2-over 74s. Akabane put a bow on her round with two birdies on the front nine par-5 2nd and par-4 4th to score a 1-under 35. Campos birdied twice on the back nine on the par-4 14th and 18th holes. She finished the round with an even par 36 on the front nine.
 
Freshman Caroline Canales rounded out the UCLA five, tying for 43rd at 10-over 82. Canales birdied three times on the par-5 15th, par-4 4th and par-3 8th.
 
The Bruins tee off tomorrow morning at 6:45 a.m. PT for round two.