GREENSBORO, Ga. – For the Auburn women's golf team, the goal going into Sunday's final round at the Lake Oconee Invitational was 21 birdies. The Tigers nearly reached that on the front nine with 16 birdies and finished the day with 29 to capture the team title by 26 strokes.
"With all seven being so competitive, we just made it a competition within ourselves," Auburn head coach Melissa Luellen said. "It was like another qualifying round. It was competitive. But to see them compete at a tournament away from Auburn, away from the golf course that we're used to, I really liked the way they responded."
The Tigers shot a 279 (-9) in the third round at The Landing Course at Reynolds Lake Oconee (Par 72, 6,134 yards) and finished the tournament at 8-under. It's the first tournament win this season for the Tigers and the third over the past two seasons.
Freshman Megan Schofill matched the career-low round she shot Saturday with another 68 (-4) on Sunday to win the individual title – the first of career. Schofill led the field with 11 birdies through three rounds and finished at 7-under par.
"She got a little impatient out west," Luellen said. "She really let it come to her this weekend, stayed patient, hit good shots, and the putts started to fall. Yesterday, she hit 17 greens. Today, I think she was pretty close to the same. Just beautiful ball striking."
Schofill and teammate Mychael O'Berry went back-and-forth Sunday, vying for the individual lead. O'Berry finished tied for third after shooting a 72 (E), her third straight round at par or better. The junior knocked in nine total birdies and also made the team's only eagle of the tournament during Saturday's second round.
On Sunday, six of the seven Auburn golfers in the field shot par or better.
Junior Kaleigh Telfer fired the low round of the day for the Tigers with a 67 (-5) that included a team-high seven birdies. Telfer moved up into a tie for fifth on the player leaderboard.
Kayley Marschke also finished strong Sunday with her best round of the tournament. The senior, who was playing as an individual, played bogey-free golf and shot a season-low 68 (-4) to climb seven spots into eighth place overall.
Freshman Brooke Sansom and junior Julie McCarthy both wrapped up play with a round of even par. Sansom finished in a tie for 17th while McCarthy was tied for 21st place.
Next up for Auburn is the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate. The tournament is March 6-8 and will be played at Long Cove Club in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.
Team Standings
1. Auburn – 856 (-8)
2. Mercer – 882 (+18)
3. East Carolina – 893 (+29)
4. North Florida – 896 (+32)
T5. UNCW – 903 (+39)
T5. South Alabama – 903 (+39)
7. Chattanooga – 909 (+45)
8. South Dakota State – 924 (+60)
9. Daytona State – 931 (+67)
10. ETSU – 935 (+71)
11. Delaware – 938 (+74)
12. Wofford – 939 (+75)
13. Albany – 969 (+105)
14. UNC Asheville – 998 (+134)
Auburn Individuals
1. Megan Schofill – 73, 68, 68 (-7)
T3. Mychael O'Berry – 71, 71, 72 (-2)
T5. Kaleigh Telfer – 76, 72, 67 (-1)
8. Kayley Marschke – 77, 73, 68 (+2), ind.
T12. Elena Hualde Zúñiga – 73, 73, 74 (+4)
T17. Brooke Sansom – 77, 74, 72 (+7)
T21. Julie McCarthy – 75, 77, 72 (+8), ind.