AUBURN, Ala. – The Auburn women's golf team will host the second-annual Evans Derby Experience this weekend from the nearby Saugahatchee Country Club (par 72, 6250 yards). The event runs from Saturday to Tuesday and will feature 14 teams from across the country.
"It's a real honor to be able to name our tournament after two great Auburn coaches in Kim Evans and Virginia Derby-Grimes," Auburn head coach Melissa Luellen said. "The turnout of the field is indicative of what those two women mean to the sport of college golf. Our players are very excited to play at home and to represent Auburn and to represent Kim and Virginia."
The field includes 10 teams ranked in the top 25 and five in the top 10, which is nothing new for an Auburn team has seen strong fields in each of their first two tournaments this spring.
However, there will be a different feel this weekend with the tournament taking place in Auburn. The team knows the course. They know the area. Plus, their families and friends will be there along with other Auburn fans and alumni of the women's golf program.
"We're all super excited to be hosting the Evans Derby and getting the opportunity to play at home this weekend," sophomore Mychael O'Berry said. "We only play at home once a year, so it's pretty special when we get the chance to. Having your friends and family out there supporting you at home is just a feeling that can't be beat."
O'Berry is coming off her best outing of the year as she finished tied for 5th overall at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate earlier this month after shooting three rounds at even par. The Hoover, Ala., native will remain in the No. 2 spot in Auburn's lineup this weekend behind fellow sophomore Julie McCarthy, the 11th-ranked player in the country per GolfStat.
Following those two will once again by freshman Brooke Sansom, sophomore Kaleigh Telfer and junior Elena Hualde Zúñiga. Sansom (Shootout at Shoal Creek) and Telfer (Battle at the Beach) have each won individual titles this season.
Auburn will also have three individuals competing in this year's Evans Derby with freshmen Anika Bolcíková and Chandler Rosholt, as well as junior Kayley Marschke.
The Tigers will be paired with Alabama and Louisville for the first round and will tee off at 9:20 a.m. CT from the sixth hole Friday. Live scoring is available on Golfstat.com.
The field
The 14-team field for this year's Evans Derby Experience includes Auburn, Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Clemson, Duke, Florida, Florida State, Kent State, Louisville, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, South Carolina and Texas.
Including Auburn, 10 of the 14 teams are ranked in the top 25 per Golfstat. Five of the teams – Texas, Duke, Florida, Arkansas and South Carolina – are ranked in the top 10.
"To assemble a field of this caliber in only the second year of the Evans Derby Experience is amazing," Luellen said. "Any golf fan, young or old, will enjoy watching these amazing athletes compete with power and grace."
Symetra Tour exemption
There will be some stiff competition to see who the individual winner of this year's Evans Derby Experience will be as the field includes eight players who made the Arnold Palmer Cup and 19 players who will take part in the inaugural Augusta National Women's Amateur in April.
For Auburn, McCarthy made the International team for the Arnold Palmer Cup while Telfer was chosen to represent Auburn at the ANWA.
But whoever comes out on top as the individual winner at the Evans Derby will qualify for the Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic event on the Symetra Tour, which takes place July 18-21, 2019 in Rochester, New York.