#1 Ranked Women’s Golf Team Hosts Mason Rudolph Starting Today

The #1 ranked Vanderbilt Women’s Golf Team is hosting the Mason Rudolph Classic this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the Vanderbilt Legends Golf Club.

The Lady Commodores are coming off a record breaking performance in their season opener at the Powerade Cougar Classic in Charleston, South Carolina. The tournament was a rain soaked and shortened event, but in the first round, the team shot 269 in the first round, which broke the four year old record of 274 set at the 2014 NCAA Regional.

After 36 holes, the tournament was called, but they finished Runner Up at the event. They were led by an -10 two day performance by Senior Courtney Zeng, which included a school record tying 65, and a -8 two day round by Freshman Auston Kim. Zeng finished 2nd and Kim tied for 3rd.

The Mason Rudolph is the only tournament host by Vanderbilt during their split season, Fall and Spring. In the Fall, the ‘Dores play an abbreviated schedule that runs from September through November. The shortened season allows the women to compete but still focus on the intensity that comes in the classroom. Head Coach Greg Allen says, “Our fall season ends in November so the girls have plenty of time to catch up and prepare for the end of the academic semester.”

The Spring season is their championship season with SEC and NCAA Championships. When determining how to get his players to peak at the right time, Allen says, “We are lucky in that we have highly motivated players that want to play their best at all times. Because the spring season I so much longer than the fall, we try to divide it and allow the girls to have a break mid-March so we can be mentally fresh going into April and May.”

The rest of the season has Vanderbilt playing in a variety of tournaments around the country and even in Mexico. After the Mason Rudolph, they will travel to Chapel Hill in October and then Cabo in November. Allen says, “I love our schedule. Hard not to say Cabo is my favorite. But I really like the Darius Rucker. It’s played on one of the best courses my girls get to play. Clemson is quickly becoming a favorite because of our host family.”

The Darius Rucker is the tournament held in Hilton Head, South Carolina in March. It is hosted by the same course where the PGA plays the week after the Masters. They’ll head to California to SDSU March Mayhem, Clemson, and then Birmingham for the SEC Championships on April 17-21. The NCAA Championship is held in Fayettville, Arkansas May 17-22.

The season can be long, and the biggest challenge, Allen says, “Like all coaches of every sport, you just hope and pray your kids stay healthy all year.”

Nonetheless, the Women’s Team is looking to defend their home turf this weekend, build upon the great start they had Charleston, and maintain their status atop the NCAA golfing world.