April 19, 2015
Junior Alex Harrell shot a 2-under 70 to lead Auburn on Sunday at the SEC Championship. (Wade Rackley photo)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The Auburn women's golf team recorded its best round of the spring on the final day of the 2015 SEC Championship, which concluded Sunday at Greystone Golf & Country Club.
Led by a 2-under-par 70 from junior Alex Harrell, the Tigers shot 290 (+2) on the final day to move up two spots on the leaderboard and finish in ninth place. Auburn finished with a three-day total of 892 (+28), their best 54-hole score of the spring season. All five Tigers had their best rounds of the week, and Auburn's team score tied for fourth-best on the final day.
"We played well the last two days," Auburn coach Kim Evans said. "We saw some nice things. We just shot ourselves in the foot on the first day. Did we finish where we think we could have or should have? No, but all we can do now is learn from it and get ready for our regional."
Harrell posted a five-birdie effort for her round of 70, her best of the spring and second-best of the whole season. After a birdie and two bogeys in her first four holes had her at 1-over, the junior from Phenix City would play the rest of her round at 3-under with birdies at holes 3, 6 and 11 along with a bogey at the ninth. She moved 12 spots up the leaderboard to finish in a tie for 30th.
"She's been so close to shooting a round like that and somehow just doesn't put it together," Evans said. "Today she really worked hard and made sure she brought it in under par. I couldn't be more proud of her."
Freshman Sophia Schubert was Auburn's top finisher in the tournament at 3-over-par 219, posting a final-round 73 (+1). Starting on No. 11, Schubert had a mostly clean scorecard, making pars on her first eight holes before a bogey at No. 1. She got back to even par with birdie at the fifth, then made bogey at No. 9 to drop back to 1-over with one hole to play. A tremendous up-and-down from behind the green at No. 10 to save her par kept her at plus-one for the day.
Freshman Kelli Murphy matched Schubert's 73 for her best 18 holes of the week. Murphy stayed under par most of the day, recording birdies at 16 and 18 to get to 1-under as she turned to the front. A birdie at No. 7 and a bogey at No. 9 kept her there, but a double-birdie-bogey finish left her at 1-over and tied for 36th. Sophomore Clara Baena was six shots better Sunday with a 74 (+2), and senior Victoria Trapani finished with a 75 (+3).
"It was great to see Clara come out today and play her game," Evans said, "which she needed after her injury. Saw some great things out of Kelli again, she continues to play consistent, and so did Victoria. Sophia was so close to having a special tournament, and Alex really came through for us big today."
Texas A&M captured the team title at 13-under, 12 shots ahead of South Carolina. The Aggies' Bianca Fabrizio was the individual champion at 207 (-9).
The start of the final round was delayed by 90 minutes after heavy overnight rain, and the teams had to wait out another hour-long delay near the conclusion of play.
Auburn will await its destination for the 2015 NCAA Regional, which will be announced Monday, April 27. The four regional sites are Raleigh, N.C.; San Antonio, Texas; South Bend, Ind.; and St. George, Utah.
Final results from the 2015 SEC Championship at the Greystone Golf & Country Club - Legacy Course in Birmingham, Ala. (Par 72, 6,308 yards)
Team Standings
1. Texas A&M - 293-277-281=851 (-13)
2. South Carolina - 299-280-284=863 (-1)
3. Vanderbilt - 293-292-282=867 (+3)
4. Tennessee - 293-291-294=878 (+14)
5. Alabama - 300-288-296=884 (+20)
6. Florida - 299-295-292=886 (+22)
7. LSU - 299-293-297=889 (+25)
8. Arkansas - 300-293-298=891 (+27)
9. Auburn - 307-295-290=892 (+28)
10. Georgia - 306-289-298=893 (+28)
11. Kentucky - 307-297-290=894 (+29)
12. Mississippi State - 308-291-298=897 (+33)
13. Missouri - 307-302-306=915 (+51)
14. Ole Miss - 310-307-308=925 (+61)
Auburn Individuals
16. Sophia Schubert - 75-71-73=219 (+3)
T30. Alex Harrell - 76-77-70=223 (+7)
T36. Kelli Murphy - 78-74-73=225 (+9)
T39. Victoria Trapani - 78-73-75=226 (+10)
T61. Clara Baena - 80-80-74=234 (+18)