The SEC Championship Tournament field provided perhaps the deepest of the season so far, with all but two of the 14 teams ranked inside the top-40. Within a crowded and competitive collection of talent all in one place, No. 11 Texas A&M women’s golf looked to emerge and position themselves at the top of the pack.
The Aggies hit the links for stroke play in the SEC Championship Tournament from Wednesday, April 13, through Friday, April 15 at Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Ala. Despite high expectations following back-to-back top-3 finishes coming into the event, the maroon and white failed to reach the weekend’s match play portion of the tournament.
A&M finished Round 1 in a tie for eighth with No. 27 Georgia at 11 over par. The maroon and white fell further down the leaderboard in Round 2 to solo 12th at 21 over. With only the top eight teams advancing to the weekend for match play, the Aggies needed a strong performance to make the cut. However, despite a valiant effort, they came up just short by finishing in ninth at 28 over.
It was a humbling opening round for the Aggies as each member of their quintet finished over par. Sophomore Zoe Slaughter led the way with a 1-over-par 73 complete with two birdies in a bogey-free back-nine.
Junior Blanca Fernandez Garcia-Poggio carded a Round 1 2-over-par 74 that was damaged by a double-bogey on the par-4 12th hole. Junior Jennie Park had a busy scorecard on the back-nine equate to a first round 3-over 75.
Senior Hailee Cooper sat at 2 under par through the first six holes on Day 1, but she finished with a 5-over-par 77 that was doomed by a 6-over-par stretch from holes 7-10. Freshman Adela Cernousek had a forgetful opening round as she only made one birdie en route to a 9-over 81.
“We were pretty sloppy during the practice round, and that carried over into today,” A&M coach Gerrod Chadwell told 12thMan.com following Wednesday’s action. “Today was a great wake up call, and we have 36 holes to get after it.”
In Round 2 action, A&M failed to make up any ground on the leaderboard. Park completed the best round of golf so far for an Aggie in the tournament, as she carded four birdies on a circuitous path to an even-par 72.
Fernandez Garcia-Poggio made 13 pars on Day 2 for a respectable 1-over-par 73. Slaughter sat at even par through 16 holes before a double-bogey, bogey finish dropped her to a 3-over 75 for the day.
Senior Brooke Tyree subbed in for Cernousek in Round 2, but she couldn’t buy a birdie en route to a 6-over-par 78. Cooper matched Cernousek’s first round effort with a disastrous 9-over 81 on Thursday that featured five bogeys and two double-bogeys.
“We are disappointed with where we are right now, but the silver lining is that we still have a chance and are within striking distance,” Chadwell told 12thMan.com after Thursday’s play. “I feel good about tomorrow and know that our team can come out and put together a great round.”
A&M put together its best round of golf on Friday, but the course still played tough for the group. Slaughter was maddeningly consistent in carding one bogey and one birdie for an even-par 72. She finished her 54 holes tied for 18th at a 4-over 220 for the tournament.
Fernandez Garcia-Poggio had some ups-and-downs on her way to a final round 1-over-par 73. She finished — along with Slaughter — in a tie for 18th with a 4-over 220 for the tournament. Park shot a 3-over 75 on Day 3 that included just one birdie, and she finished in a tie for 26th with a 6-over 222.
Cooper made four bogeys en route to a final round 3-over-par 75, capping off a struggle-filled week for her in which she placed in a tie for 57th with a 17-over 233 for the tournament. Following an off-day on Thursday, Cernousek rejoined the lineup in Round 3 and also carded a 3-over 75. She was one of eight golfers who did not play all three rounds, as she finished with a 36-hole 12-over 156.
“Everyone is disappointed, but it is great to know that this isn’t the end,” Chadwell told 12thMan.com. “We really just had too many big numbers on the card, and it put us back.”
No. 20 Auburn finished atop the leaderboard at even par to earn the 1-seed in match play. The Tigers improbably shot even par in all three rounds to win the stroke play portion of the tournament.
Only five golfers completed 54 holes under par, and LSU junior Ingrid Lindblad earned the individual title with a sparkling 10-under-par 206 for the tournament — one stroke clear of Auburn junior Megan Schofill.
A&M will now prepare for the NCAA Regional Tournament, which takes place from Monday, May 9, through Wednesday, May 11, at a site that is still to be determined.
“We are going to take this experience on the chin and learn from it,” Chadwell told 12thMan.com. “We are looking forward to rectifying this week at NCAAs next month.”