AUBURN, Ala. – The NCAA Women's Golf Championship tees off Friday from Grayhawk Golf Course in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Auburn is one of 24 teams vying for a championship. It marks the 19th appearance in program history.
But this year's Auburn team is unique. They're battle-tested.
Two years ago, the Tigers finished tied for third at the NCAA Championship, and three of the five players from that team are in the lineup again this year. This year, they have already won the Southeastern Conference Championship, going 3-0 in match play, and they rallied on the final day of the NCAA Louisville Regional to clinch their spot among the final 24.
"The mindset they had the last day, they need to take that mindset for four days," Auburn head coach Melissa Luellen said. "Because there are a lot of really good teams. We're going to have to go attack the golf course. If we go to play conservative like we did at regionals those first two days, we won't advance very far. So we're going to come out swinging."
Auburn's lineup will feature the same five who played the final round at the regional with seniors Kaleigh Telfer and Elena Hualde Zúñiga at the top, followed by sophomore Megan Schofill, senior Mychael O'Berry and freshman Anna Foster.
Telfer, Hualde Zuniga, O'Berry and the alternate this week, Julie McCarthy, were all a part of the team's postseason run two years ago. That team finished eighth in stroke play to sneak into the quarterfinals but then knocked off top-seeded Texas in match play.
"We just need to give ourselves a chance on the first day," Telfer said. "We made it in match play at SECs and if we have the same mindset going out there and believing we can do it, I think we've got it."
The championship format consists of 24 teams and 12 individuals completing 54 holes of stroke play from Friday to Sunday. Following the first three rounds, the top 15 teams and the top nine individuals not on an advancing team will proceed to the final day of stroke play Monday to determine the top eight teams for match play competition.
The Tigers, ranked No. 15 nationally coming in, tee off Friday at 8:30 a.m. CT and will be paired with Oregon and Virginia Tech for the opening round. Live scoring can be found on Golfstat.com, and the event will be broadcasted live on Golf Channel beginning Monday.
GOLF CHANNEL SCHEDULE (All TIMES CT)
Monday, May 24 – 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. (Live final round, individual stroke play coverage)
Tuesday, May 25 – 8 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. (Live quarterfinals coverage)
Tuesday, May 25 – 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. (Live semifinals coverage)
Wednesday, May 26 – 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. (Live finals, match play coverage)
Auburn takes aim at NCAA Women's Golf Championship
