Kentucky women’s golf kicked off its spring season Feb. 2–4 at the Paradise Invitational, hosted by FAU.
The tournament was played at Osprey Point Golf Club in Boca Raton, Florida, and marked the Wildcats’ first competition since the fall season.
Kentucky finished second overall with a team total of 858, 6 under par, with three Wildcats placing inside of the top 10. The tournament also featured a new name in the lineup, with junior transfer Samantha Paradise competing as an individual in her debut event with Kentucky. Tennessee claimed the team title, finishing at 10 under par.
Leading the Wildcats was Anastasia Hekkonen, who tied for third overall with a three-round total of 5 under par. Cathryn Brown and Karlie Campbell followed closely, each tying for seventh at two-under par.
C.A. Carter finished tied for 25th at 3 over par, while Raleygh Simpson tied for 82nd at 19 over par. Paradise finished 40th overall with a three-round total of 7 over par while competing independently from the team lineup.
Paradise, a junior transfer from Daytona State College, made her first competitive appearance as a Wildcat after joining the program ahead of the spring season.
During her freshman year at Daytona State, Paradise averaged a 72.2 stroke average across 11 tournament starts and earned NJCAA Second Team All-American honors. She continued helping her team during her sophomore season as she helped lead the Falcons to a National Championship. Samantha was also named NJCAA First Team All-American that season.
In her Kentucky debut, Paradise opened the tournament with an even-par 72, recording three birdies in the opening round. She followed with rounds of 78 and 73 over the final two days. Despite competing against a strong Division I field, Paradise tied for 37th in par-four scoring average, posting a 4.10 average across the tournament.
Brown delivered a consistent performance for the Wildcats, leading the field in par-five scoring with a 4.5 average. She also recorded 42 total pars throughout the tournament, which ranked second overall among all competitors.
Campbell also played a key role in Kentucky’s runner-up finish, finishing first in par-four scoring average at 3.83. Hekkonen followed closely with a 3.87 average on par fours, highlighting the team’s balanced scoring across the lineup.
With the second-place finish, Kentucky now owns three top-three finishes during the 2025–26 season and has recorded four top-five finishes in five events.
Kentucky will return to action Feb. 15–16 at the Spartan Suncoast Collegiate Invitational, hosted by Michigan State. The tournament will be played at Palm Aire Country Club in Sarasota, Florida.