Sparked by a hole-in-one by freshman Iliska Verwey, Georgia State's women's golf team opened the spring season with a first-day 5th place finish in the 15-team Sun Trust Lady Gator Invitational in Gainesville, Fla.

The Panthers carded a 299 first round with Verwey tied for 6th with a 71 and junior Anna Scott tied for 11th with a 72.

Verwey shot her hole-in-one on the 15th hole, her sixth hole played on the day, and added three birdies in her round of 71. Scott produced four birdies in her round of 72.

Host Florida, ranked No. 5 by GolfStat, leads the 15-team field on its home course. Louisville, No. 26, North Carolina, No. 34 and Ole Miss are two, three and four. Georgia State, ranked No. 36, sits just ahead of Wake Forest, No. 17, and Augusta State, No. 46.

“I am proud of the opening day effort and saw how hard the ladies worked the course for their scores,” Coach Cathy Mant said. “We played well and we are pleased, but we did give some shots back to the course that we shouldn't have. This tournament opening round truthfully did not match our practice rounds, so we know we can calm our nerves and settle down and play even better.”

On Verwey's hole-in-one, Mant was a witness. “It was a 158-yard hole and she used her six-iron. She faded it a little to the right and it hit very close to the hole and just rolled a few feet into the cup. That is always fun to watch a golfer hit a shot like that.” For Georgia State, it marked a second hole-in-one on this course and last year on March 10, Nicole Loesch, carded an ace on hole number 11, a 112-yard hole, of the Mark Bostick Course.

In addition to Verwey's 71 and Scott's 72, Georgia State got a 77 from Sandra Maier to sit in a tie for 35th, a 79 from Claire Starkie to tie for 48th and an opening day 80 from Cathrine Madsen to stand 59th among the 84-golfer field.

Sun Trust Lady Gator Invitational
Gainesville, Fla. (Mark Bostick Course)

Team Scores
1. Florida (No. 5 Golfstat) 280
2. Louisville (No. 26) 290
3. North Carolina (No. 34) 292
4. Mississippi 293
5. Georgia State (No. 36) 299
6. Wake Forest (No. 17) 301
7. Augusta State (No. 46) 305
8. South Florida 306
9. Chattanooga 308
10. Florida International 310
11. Colorado 312
11. UNC Greensboro 312
13. Kentucky 313
14. Florida Atlantic 318
15. Oregon (No. 47) 321

Georgia State Individuals
6 tie Iliska Verwey 71
11 tie Anna Scott 72
35 tie Sandra Maier 77
48 tie Claire Starkie 79
59 tie Cathrine Madsen 80