Auburn Women’s Golf Holds Strong at Moon Golf Invitational, Davidson Shines in Windy Opener
MELBOURNE, Fla. - Battling gusty conditions and a stacked field, No. 8 Auburn women’s golf came out of the gates with resilience on Sunday, finishing the opening round of the Moon Golf Invitational in second place. The Tigers posted a team score of 4-over 292 at Suntree Country Club, putting themselves squarely in the hunt heading into Monday.
The round’s standout? Sophomore Molly Davidson, who handled the wind like a seasoned vet.
After making the turn at 1-over, Davidson locked in on the back nine, rolling in three birdies to close with a 2-under 70. It was her fifth under-par round of the season and placed her in a tie for second individually, just one shot behind Mississippi State’s Izzy Pellot.
“Molly was a mental giant today,” head coach Melissa Luellen said. “She stayed patient, stayed trusting-exactly the mindset she told us she was going to bring to the course. And she followed through.”
That kind of mental toughness was essential on a day when the wind forced players into constant recalculations. Luellen acknowledged the challenge, noting that the Tigers let a few shots get away late in the round due to mental miscues. Still, she’s keeping the focus forward.
“Moving day tomorrow,” she said. “We’re seven shots back, but in team golf, that can disappear in a hurry.”
Auburn trails No. 6 Texas A&M, who holds the top spot after round one.
But the margin is manageable, and the Tigers have a one-shot edge over a three-way logjam for third featuring No. 5 Florida, No.
7 Wake Forest, and No. 9 Texas.
Freshman Anna Davis showed her poise after a rocky stretch early in the round. She bogeyed Nos. 5 and 6 but steadied the ship with clean play the rest of the way, finishing with a 1-over 73. That effort has her tied for 16th on the individual leaderboard.
Katie Cranston followed closely behind with a 2-over 74, putting her in a tie for 29th. Redshirt senior Carys Worby rounded out the team’s scoring with a 3-over 75, currently tied for 40th.
Sophomore Anne Fernandez, competing as an individual, made the most of her opportunity. She carded a solid 1-over 73, highlighted by three birdies, and joins Davis in that tie for 16th.
With two rounds still to play and plenty of golf left, Auburn is right where it needs to be-within striking distance and showing signs of a team that knows how to grind when the conditions get tough. Monday’s round could be a turning point, and if Davidson keeps leading the way and the rest of the lineup locks in, the Tigers could be poised for a big move up the board.
Live scoring for the second round is available at scoreboard.clippd.com.