The Ole Miss Women’s Golf team tied for fourth in the Simpsonville, Ky., Regional and advanced to the NCAA Championship on Wednesday, May 13. The men’s golf team had an impressive run the past few weeks, winning the SEC Tournament and several awards and earning the No. 2 seed in the Bermuda Run Regional, which starts Monday, May 18.
The Lady Rebels ended day one of the regional tied for first place (282). Kajsalotta Svarvar shot 67 (-5) and tied for the individual lead. Mary Miller also finished day one in the top 10.
They fell to sixth place after shooting 287 on day two, just one spot away from a championship appearance, but rebounded on day three with a round-three best 286 shots to tie for fourth.
The NCAA Women’s Championship begins on Friday, May 22 and ends on Wednesday, May 27 in Carlsbad, Calif. Thirty teams will partake in 54 holes of stroke play. The top 15 teams will advance to stroke play, then the top eight teams will go to match play to decide the national champion.
The men’s team, fresh off its SEC Tournament victory on Sunday, April 26, will begin the Bermuda Run Regional on Monday, May 18 as the No. 2 seed.
Head coach, and reigning SEC Coach of the Year, Chris Malloy and All-SEC honorees Tom Fischer (first team) and Cameron Tankersley (second team) will look to guide Ole Miss to a national championship.
Malloy spoke about winning the coaching honor in a press conference on Monday, May 11.
“It’s certainly not why you coach, and it’s a direct reflection of the guys in the locker room,” Malloy said. “If I didn’t have great players, then I wouldn’t even be in the conversation for it. I think it’s more of a reflection of those guys.”
The Rebels will compete at the Bermuda Run Country Club, which Malloy said is a good course for the team.
“You like to stay on similar playing surfaces — similar grass. Bermuda Run, no pun intended, but it’s bermuda grass very similar to what we face in this part of the world,” Malloy said. “This should provide a sense of comfort to us, and this time of year, that’s what you’re looking for.”
Coming off the SEC Championship, Ole Miss has a new sense of confidence that could propel the team to more success.
“They just walk around a little bit differently,” Malloy said. “Confidence is just such a big part of our sport to feel like they belong. For a guy like Collins Trolio to go from just being one of the guys to going out and really having such a good run, especially in the match play portion of the SEC Tournament, I think it gives him confidence.”
Notably, Daniel Tolf, who has shined in his freshman year and won a share of an individual title earlier this season, will not be with the team.
“We will be without Daniel Tolf, who’s been a fixture in our lineup. (The) freshman from Sweden is going back home,” Malloy said. “He’s dealing with bigger and better things. His mom has been sick for a while, and she’s not doing great. We put our heads together, and it was pretty much a no-brainer where he needed to be.”
The Rebels are down to six players. Jacob Blanton and Finn Meister will travel with the team and slot in as the fifth player.
“We will figure it out. I’ve got no worry in my mind,” Malloy said. “They’re a group that doesn’t spend a whole lot of time worrying about what they can’t control.”
