CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL

PALM COAST, Fla. - Houston continued its strong play at the 2019 American Athletic Conference Women's Golf Championship at The Conservatory Course at Hammock Beach Resorts and increased its lead to 20 strokes heading into the final day of play. Senior Maddy Rayner posted the best round of the tournament thus far with a 4-under, 68.

The Cougars followed up a first round 287 with a 4-under 284 on Monday. Houston boasts three of the top-four cumulative scorers at 2019 championship tournament.

After Leonie Harm went for a 3-under, 69 in round one, Rayner did one better and moved up 10 spots in the individual standings and now sits in a tie for third with her teammate Maria Jose Martinez at 2-under, 142.

Harm is tied for the overall lead with UCF's Elizabeth Moon at 3-under, 141.



While Houston has built a strong lead, the battle second has heated up. Memphis posted a second round 292 to move up to fourth place and is just five strokes back of UCF for the runner-up spot. ECU moved up two spots into third place while Tulane went up four spots to sixth thanks to a second round 297.

On the individual leaderboard, 11 different players are within five strokes of the lead heading into the final day of play.

Memphis' Michael Fletcher moved up to sole possession of fifth place with a 1-under 71. ECU's Dorthea Forbrigd and Cincinnati's Daniela Murcia are tied for sixth at 1-over for the tournament. Four players are tied for eighth.

Rayner was the only player on day two to go multiple strokes under par as the field battled strong winds throughout the day.

UCF's Ana Laura Collado and Tulane's Gabrielle Correia joined Moon and Fletcher with 1-under 71's. Both players moved up more than 20 spots from day one.

Tomorrow's third round tees off at 8 a.m. with teams beginning at both the 1^st and 10^th tees.