April 18, 2018
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. ââ'¬" High scores abounded on the opening day of the 2018 SEC Women's Golf Championship, but No. 20 Auburn overcame some early adversity to find itself still in the mix after Wednesday's first round.
The Tigers are tied with Georgia for seventh place after an opening-round 306 (+18). On a day when the average individual score was nearly six shots over par, Auburn was able to put together a solid round aside from one disastrous hole.
"I'm really proud of how they fought back," Auburn head coach Melissa Luellen said, "because the second hole was an absolute disaster for us. On a par-3, we had two sevens, a six, a five and a three. But after that, they really fought back, made some birdies and kept their cool. It wasn't our greatest score, but we certainly stayed in the mix."
The Tigers lost 13 shots to par on that second hole, a par-3 over water with swirling winds early in the day. But for the rest of the round, Auburn players carded 12 birdies and made nothing worse than a bogey to play their final 16 holes at just 5-over.
"I feel good (about Thursday's second round)," Luellen said. "We're playing well, playing with confidence. After the rough start, I saw Auburn golf. We're all chuckling a little about the rough No. 2, but because we can laugh about it, we're able to move on from it. I think we'll play really well the next two days."
Freshman Kaleigh Telfer led the charge for Auburn Wednesday with a 3-over-par 75; she enters the second round tied for 18th. After starting 5-over through two holes, she played the rest of her round at 2-under, recording three birdies and a bogey.
Senior Kelli Murphy and sophomore Kayley Marschke posted rounds of 76 (+4) and are tied for 25th. Both finished strong on the back side, shooting 1-over on the second nine and closing out their rounds with birdies at No. 18. Freshman Julie McCarthy had Auburn's fourth counting score with a 79 (+7).
The top eight teams after Friday's third round advance to match play.
Auburn will begin its second round at 8 a.m. CT on the first hole, paired with Georgia and Mississippi State. Live scoring is available at golfstat.com, and fans can follow @AuburnWGolf on Twitter and Instagram for updates throughout the day.
First-round results from the 2018 SEC Championship at Greystone Golf & Country Club ââ'¬" Legacy Course (par 72, 6,253 yards) in Birmingham, Ala.:
Team Standings
1. Alabama ââ'¬" 286 (-2)
2. South Carolina ââ'¬" 291 (+3)
3. Vanderbilt ââ'¬" 296 (+8)
4. Florida ââ'¬" 298 (+10)
5. Arkansas ââ'¬" 299 (+11)
6. Missouri ââ'¬" 304 (+16)
T7. Auburn ââ'¬" 306 (+18)
T7. Georgia ââ'¬" 306 (+18)
9. Mississippi State ââ'¬" 308 (+20)
10. Kentucky ââ'¬" 309 (+21)
11. Tennessee ââ'¬" 310 (+22)
12. Texas A&M ââ'¬" 312 (+24)
13. LSU ââ'¬" 313 (+25)
14. Ole Miss ââ'¬" 316 (+28)
Auburn Individuals
T18. Kaleigh Telfer ââ'¬" 75 (+3)
T25. Kelli Murphy ââ'¬" 76 (+4)
T25. Kayley Marschke ââ'¬" 76 (+4)
T46. Julie McCarthy ââ'¬" 79 (+7)
T52. Michaela Owen ââ'¬" 80 (+8)