College golf season opens in warmer climates

With snow and ice on the ground and temperatures falling below freezing when the sun goes down, there’s not much golf going on outdoors in the Triad and throughout much of the country.

But at least one in-state college team has played its first “spring” tournament and others are scheduled to follow this weekend.

Of course, these early tournaments are held in Florida, California, Hawaii and the Caribbean.

The East Carolina women, with senior Macie Burcham (pictured) of Greensboro, finished 12th out of 16 teams Tuesday at the UCF Challenge at Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando. The field included six Power 4 teams, plus warm-weather programs South Florida, Florida Gulf Coast, North Florida and South Alabama.

The Pirates shot 34-over-par, 58 shots behind champion Auburn. Burcham shot rounds of 75 and 79 before struggling to 85 as course conditions were tougher in the final round.

Next up, the North Carolina women tee it up Feb. 1 at Grand Reserve in Puerto Rico. On Feb. 2, the High Point men begin play in South Carolina in a field topped by Duke, East Tennessee, College of Charleston and Coastal Carolina at Briar’s Creek in Charleston.

The UNC roster includes freshman Ellen Yu of Greensboro, who played in one tournament in the fall.