Kate Smith fired a two-under-par 70 to finish with a three-round total of 213 (-3) to tie for eighth in a strong season-opening field at the Branch Law Firm/Dick McGuire Invitational in Albuquerque, N.M., on Tuesday.
Smith, a senior from Detroit Lakes, Minn., moved up two spots on the leaderboard in the final round of competition by sinking four birdies to go along with 12 pars in the final round. She took bogeys on the 10th and 13th holes, but scored birdies on No. 1, No. 4, No. 6 and No. 18. Her three-round total of 213 (71-72-70) was six strokes off the pace set by champion Momoka Kobori from Pepperdine, whose final-round 64 (-8) helped her finish at 207 (-9).