BELLEAIRE, Fla. – An unforgettable week for the No. 18 Tennessee women’s golf team reached a storybook ending on Tuesday afternoon as the team claimed its first SEC Championship title in program history.
The Lady Vols defeated No. 8 Auburn 3-2 in the match play final, emerging victorious in their sixth round of golf in five days.
It marks the fourth win of the season for Tennessee, setting a new program record for tournament wins in a season. The Lady Vols had previously finished as runner-up at the SEC Championship twice, most recently in 1999, well before the conference adopted the match play model in 2018.
Two dominant 6&5 victories by Sophie Christopher and Sofie Engesaeth gave Tennessee two points and put them on the brink of a team victory early in the day, dispatching of Auburn’s Katie Cranston and Charlotte Cantonis, respectively.
After Manassanan Chotikabhukkana narrowly fell 2&1 and Madison Messimer suffered a 5&4 defeat, all eyes were on Kyra Van Kan, who was in a tight race with Carys Worby down the stretch. A birdie on hole No. 14 gave the Lady Vol sophomore a 2-up advantage, before a bogey on hole No. 16 tightened the match within one stroke.
On the par-4 hole No. 17, both golfers hit the fairway, setting up a vital approach shot. Worby, further from the pin, went first and found the green in short distance from the hole, putting the pressure on Van Kan to deliver. Van Kan did just that, landing the ball within three feet of the flag stick and shifting the pressure back to Worby.
The Auburn senior succumbed, missing right of the hole and setting up a short putt for Van Kan to clinch the conference crown. What followed was a moment of magic as the Johannesburg, South Africa, native drained the putt to win her match 2&1 and cap a historic week for Tennessee women’s golf.
Next up, the Lady Vols await their destination for NCAA regionals, which will be revealed during the selection show on April 29. Regionals are slated to take place May 11-13, where Tennessee will seek to advance to the NCAA Championship for the second consecutive season.
SEC Championship Match Play Final Results – Tennessee vs. Auburn
Anna Davis def. Manassanan Chotikabhukkana (2&1)
Kyra Van Kan def. Carys Worby (2&1)
Sophie Christopher def. Katie Cranston (6&5)
Molly Brown Davidson def. Madison Messimer (5&4)
Sofie Engesaeth def. Charlotte Cantonis (6&5)
