Facing off against 14 opponents at the Florida Gators Invitational at Mark Bostick Golf Course March 6-8, Virginia women’s golf rebounded after a disappointing outing in Melbourne, Fla., at the Moon Golf Invitational — highlighting promise and composure in Gainesville, Fla. Unable to match No. 7 Florida’s dominant performance on its home course at 20-under par, the Cavaliers cruised to a second-place finish.
Sunday belonged to junior Mira Berglund, whose masterclass propelled Virginia to the finish line. Berglund’s six-under par round gave her the lowest score of the tournament, marking the second-lowest score in Virginia’s history and the lowest single-round total ever by a Cavalier at 64.
“This week was exciting from start to finish,” Berglund said. “From the first few shots, I was ready to play. Going into the final round, I had a really good feeling, and once a few putts started dropping, I just tried to ride the momentum. I’m proud of how I handled the ups and downs and happy to help the team — and myself — to a runner-up finish.”
Berglund proved to be the Cavaliers’ X-factor throughout the tournament, even though she finished tied for second overall as an individual at five-under par alongside sophomore Siuue Wu of the Gators. Florida’s No. 28-ranked junior Paula Francisco finished in first place, notching 10-under par.
Virginia’s finish also underscored the depth of its lineup. Of the six Cavaliers competing among the 78-player field, including sophomore Kennedy Swedick, five players ranked within the top 20. Senior Jaclyn LaHa led Virginia at two-under par going into Sunday, ultimately finishing fourth as an individual at four-under on a final-round 68.
Freshmen Miranda Lu and Elsie MacCleery were notable contributors, both tying for 19th on the individual leaderboard at six-over, which helped secure the Cavaliers’ strong finish Sunday above No. 14 North Carolina. Swedick also carded four-over par for 15th place as an individual.
Aside from the top three teams finishing at even par or better, scoring disparities highlighted the rest of the opponents’ lineups, as teams struggled to card consistent rounds at Mark Bostick Golf Course. Behind the Tar Heels in third, Miami finished fourth on the leaderboard at 28-above par, as the other teams followed shortly behind.
Beyond the Gators’ high-level outing, fueled by consistent performances and course familiarity, the most competitive storyline of the tournament unfolded in the race for second place between North Carolina and Virginia. Entering the final round, the Tar Heels held a one-shot lead over Virginia at two-under par. However, the Cavaliers surged Sunday — namely Berglund — finishing two under par above North Carolina, which ended even overall.
Though the two teams remained even keel throughout the competition, Virginia’s late-round consistency and poise offer encouraging signs as postseason play emerges. Despite the relative newness of the 2025-26 roster, Virginia can surely carry this momentum forward into its final two regular season outings.
The Cavaliers will return to action at the Seminole Legacy Golf Course in Tallahassee, Fla. hosted by Florida State from March 20-22 as they heat up for the ACC Championship beginning April 16.
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