In their final event before the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Championship, the Vanderbilt Commodores competed in the fourteen-team LSU Tiger Golf Classic in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The 54-hole tournament took place in nearly 80-degree heat over April 6 and April 7, with the first two rounds on Tuesday.
“We didn’t finish the 36-hole the way we wanted to, but the other thing I think we weren’t quite used to is playing in 80-degree temperatures,” head coach Greg Allen noted, citing the fatigue that came from the hot temperatures and dry conditions.
The Commodores started the week on top of the leaderboard with a combined 286, two shots under par. Senior Louise Yu and sophomore Celina Sattelkau led the team in round one, both shooting 71. They were joined by 72s from junior Auston Kim and sophomore Tess Davenport to give Vanderbilt the opening-round lead. Kim began the week strong after competing in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur last week.
The second round saw the Commodores score a 290 after Kim and senior Morgan Baxendale shot 72s. With 73s by Sattelkau and Yu, Vanderbilt finished the day in clear second place at even par. Kim, Sattelkau, and Yu all ended the day in the top ten of the individual standings.
The Commodores continued trending downwards in the final round, posting a ten-over 298. This was despite Yu’s closing 71 and Sattelkau’s 73. Kim and Baxendale both finished the event with 77s. Yu finished the tournament at -1 and in a tie for fourth place. She was joined in the top twenty by Sattelkau, who tied for tenth, and Kim, who tied for twentieth.
“She’s got a lot of confidence. Lou’s been great for us from a senior standpoint this year and has overcome some adversity,” Allen said of Yu.
Vanderbilt finished the tournament at +10, tied for second place with the Ole Miss Rebels and 22 shots behind the winning LSU Tigers. It’s the Commodores’ highest tournament finish so far this season. Next up for Vanderbilt is the SEC Championship in Birmingham, Alabama.
“Our focus this weekend is just trying to get everybody rested and getting our legs back under us before we head to Birmingham and the SEC on Monday,” Allen said.
The event begins on April 14 with three days of stroke play.
