McCarthy saves her best for last as Auburn take second

Julie McCarthy saved her best golf for the last day to help her Auburn College teammates to second place at the Alexa Stirling Women’s Intercollegiate Invitational.

Now in her second semester at the renowned university in Alabama, the Dubliner returned an even-par 72 that saw her rise to a tie for 5th in the individual tournament on a five-over total.

McCarthy, a plus one handicapper when making the move Stateside, made a name for herself on Irish shores in 2016 when at just 17, she claimed the Ulster, Leinster and Connacht Girls Championships to go with her second Irish Girls Close title at Kilkenny GC.

Alongside her Auburn teammates she seems to be excelling with the Tigers’ score of 290 (+2) during the third and final round seeing them finish just one stroke behind Louisville. As a team, Auburn shot 883 (+19) through three rounds at the Atlanta Athletic Club.

McCarthy wasn’t the only sophomore to go well, with Kaleigh Telfer and Mychael O’Berry both shooting even-par 72s also, with all three finishing in the top five on the overall player leaderboard.

Telfer caused some drama late with birdies on the last two holes, bringing her birdie total to 11 for the tournament, but it wasn’t quite enough. Still, the native of South Africa led the Tigers and finished third overall with a three-round score of 217 (+1). O’Berry made two birdies Sunday and finished fourth, one stroke back of Telfer at 218 (+2).

Louisville won the tournament at 18-over par (882), followed by Auburn (883), Virginia Tech (889), Indiana (896), Kennesaw State (905), Georgia (907), East Carolina (913), Mercer (915), Coastal Carolina (922), Georgia State (941) and Dartmouth College (948).

Team Standings
1. Louisville — 882 (+18)
2. Auburn — 883 (+19)
3. Virginia Tech — 889 (+25)
4. Indiana — 896 (+32)
5. Kennesaw State — 905 (+41)
6. Georgia — 907 (+43)
7. East Carolina — 913 (+49)
8. Mercer — 915 (+51)
9. Coastal Carolina — 922 (+58)
10. Georgia State — 941 (+77)
11. Dartmouth College — 948 (+84)

Auburn Individuals
3. Kaleigh Telfer – 75, 70, 72 (+1)
4. Mychael O’Berry – 71, 75, 72 (+2)
T5. Julie McCarthy – 75, 74, 72 (+5)
T17. Chandler Rosholt – 75, 76, 75 (+10), ind.
T20. Brooke Sansom – 74, 80, 73 (+11), ind.
T32. Elena Hualde Zúñiga – 76, 80, 74 (+14)
T46. Anika Bolcíková – 73, 81, 82 (+20)