For Auburn, the 2018-2019 season doesn't begin until September 21. But the Tigers will be well-represented this week as three players – junior Elena Hualde Zúñiga (Spain), sophomore Kaleigh Telfer (South Africa) and freshman Anika Bolcíková (Slovakia) – will represent their country at the World Amateur Team Championships in Ireland.
"It's a tournament that every girl would love to play, especially for their country," Hualde said. "To go there and see who the best players in the world are. And one day, when you want to go pro, you'll see them again."
There are a record number of countries (58) taking part in this year's event, and each country is represented by two or three players.
The Auburn trio includes Hualde, a junior from Pamplona, Spain, who was named to the 2017 SEC All-Freshman Team. Last season, she played in 10 events with four top-20 finishes and finished with a scoring average of 73.80, third-best on the team.
Telfer, a member of the 2018 SEC All-Freshman Team, played in eight team events and one individual event last season. But her two best tournaments came in the postseason as she was Auburn's top finisher at both the SEC Championship and the NCAA Austin Regional. Like Hualde, she's excited about the opportunity to represent her country this week.
"I'm going in there with no expectations," Telfer said. "I'm just going to take it as it comes, enjoy the experience and do what I've been doing all season."
Bolcíková, who arrived on campus earlier this month, has represented Slovakia at the European Ladies Team Championship in 2017 and 2018, but this will be her first time competing in the World Team Amateur Championships and her first time playing in Ireland.
"For me, it's my first time to play there," she said. "So I'm looking forward to what I will see, what kind of players, what kind of quality of golf and what new experiences and new motivation (I can use) for my training for the future."
The event will take place on two different courses at Carton House near Dublin, and the winning team will receive custody of the Espirito Santo Trophy for the next two years.
Tee times (local): Wednesday, Aug. 29
- 8:18 a.m., Telfer (South Africa)
- 8:29 a.m., Hualde (Spain)
- 9:57 a.m., Bolcíková (Slovakia)