Nothing beats playing on your home course.

Following three consecutive tournaments on the road, the UTSA women’s golf team made the most of their only home event of the fall season, finishing in a fifth place tie while shooting a four-under-par 860 at Briggs Ranch Golf Course in San Antonio, Texas on Tuesday, Oct. 29.

Thanks to the play of senior Taylor Newlin, who tied her career-best with a three-under par 69 on Sunday, Oct. 27, UTSA beat tough competition in the nationally ranked TCU (49th), Louisville (40th) and Conference USA foe Tulane (18th).

“I was really proud of how the team performed at that tournament,” UTSA Head Coach Carrie Parnaby said. “We went in feeling confident, obviously it’s our home golf course, but the field this year was incredibly strong.”

Following a disappointing start in the first three fall season tournaments, the Roadrunners had three players finish in the top 15 for the first time this season.

Senior Fabiola Arriaga shot a 214 (68-74-72), and Brogan Townend shot 74 on the first day, a career-best 67 in the second round and a 73 in the final round. “I was proud of the seniors for coming out and competing really strong. Fabiola and Taylor had really good tournaments; both of them shooting in the 60’s a couple of times,” Parnaby said. “Brogan, who is a sophomore, shot a 67 her second round, which was her career-best round, so that was exciting.”

Parnaby did not believe her players felt any undue pressure from playing in their only home tournament. In fact, she believes they reveled in the opportunity and succeeded in representing UTSA.

“I think it can either be a benefit or go the other way,” Parnaby said about playing on UTSA’s home course. “Some teams have a hard time because they put so much pressure on themselves to perform well at home, but our team has always risen to the occasion.

“We were really excited about showcasing San Antonio and our home course. Our team just loves Briggs Ranch and we tend to compete well there in our home tournament.”

In particular, Newlin was right at home, placing in the top 10 for the first time this season.

“That was definitely her best performance of the fall. She had been a little up and down for most of the fall. It really clicked for her at our tournament,” Parnaby said of the Frisco, Texas native. “She carries a lot of pride playing at home. I think she had some extra motivation; that will be a good boost for her going into her senior spring season.”

UTSA will now be in a three month offseason until February when the spring season begins. The performance at Briggs Ranch leaves an air of confidence moving forward.

But in May, UTSA faces possibly their toughest challenges to date, including their first ever Conference USA (C-USA) tournament.

“In golf you should always have a mindset of wanting to win the tournament,” Parnaby said. “Whether that’s a realistic goal or not, you have to look at the field and the rankings. This year our tournament schedule is the strongest we have had so far in our program’s history.”

While none of the current UTSA golfers have played the courses in Alabama where the C-USA tournament will be played, Parnaby is familiar with the course and has set up a schedule that will prepare her team for conference play.

“My first semester here we played UAB’s home tournament. None of the girls have played there, but Ian (Parnaby) and I have both coached a team there, so we kind of know what it’s like and what to expect,” Parnaby said of playing in Alabama.

“The other thing we did to prepare them is we have three spring tournaments that are all played on Bermuda grass found in the southeast, which is the same kind of grass we will face at conference. In golf you can be on different layouts, different grasses from week to week, but Tulane, Florida and LSU are all going to be very similar to the kind of course we will play at conference.”

The spring season begins Sunday, Feb. 23 at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate Tournament in New Orleans, La.