July 14, 2016
Two former Auburn women's golfers are competing on the Symetra Tour this week in the second annual Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic, which runs through Sunday in Rochester, N.Y.
Diana Fernandez and Carlie Yadloczky are competing in this week's event, named in memory of former Auburn golfer and director of operations Danielle Downey, a native of Rochester. The tournament is in its second year at Brook-Lea Country Club, which was Downey's home course.
Yadloczky and Fernandez were both part of the Auburn team in the spring of 2013 when coach Kim Evans was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and Downey took over the team for postseason play, leading the Tigers to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championship.
"She always gave us a lot of good energy," Fernandez said. "After the first day at nationals we were in last place, and we finished sixth, and it was a lot of her (Danielle). Coaching is not an easy job and she kept us together and pushed us forward.
"This tournament is way more than just golf. This event is a way to honor Danielle and it feels great to be where she is from and be at her course and see her family. Knowing that we are from Auburn and Auburn was such a big thing to her in a way we feel like we are doing this for her."
The Danielle Downey Classic began in 2015 to honor the life of Danielle, one of the most successful golfers to come out of Rochester. Proceeds from the tournament go to the Hillside Work-Scholarship Connection, which benefits low-income students in the Rochester area.
Play got underway Thursday at Brook-Lea Country Club. Live scoring for the event is available at SymetraTour.com.