On Friday, April 14, the final round of the 2023 conference championship brought an early conclusion to SEC play for Alabama women’s golf, as it failed to qualify for match play. 

Despite a pair of top-20 individual finishes for the Crimson Tide, Alabama would conclude the stroke-play portion in 10th, two places away from playing the weekend. 

“I think everyone in our program is disappointed,” said head coach Mic Potter. 

The team’s 13-over-par afternoon left them nine shots back of a tie for seventh with South Carolina and Ole Miss, which would’ve earned the team a playoff to play the weekend. Although scoring was tough in the final round due to soggy conditions, Alabama beat just two teams over its final 18-holes. 

“Our goal was to get into match play and give ourselves a chance to win the SEC Championship,” Potter said. “In the end, we wasted too many opportunities and you can’t do that against the top teams in the country.” 

Freshman Taylor Kehoe led the way for Alabama, finishing T15 (+6). Kehoe opened with what would be the Tide’s best round for the week, firing a two-under-par 70 to open postseason play. Competing in her first SEC Tournament, the freshman ranked second in the field in par-3 scoring at one-under. 

Senior Sarah Edwards finished T18 for the week at seven-over. Despite opening with back-to-back rounds of 75, Edwards led the Tide in the final round with a one-over-par 73. The top-20 finish was her fifth of the season. 

Junior Benedetta Moresco completed her week T42 (+13). Moresco opened with a two-over-par 74 but fired rounds of 77 and 78 over the final 36-holes. 

Senior Emilie Øverås and freshman Kynadie Adams completed the SEC Championships in 55th (+17) and 62nd (+21). 

Louisiana State University claimed the stroke-play portion and entered the weekend as the No. 1 seed, but it would be Texas A&M who claimed the SEC Championship. 

Alabama will now turn its attention to a potential next postseason appearance. 

“We are hoping at this point to be selected to compete in an NCAA Regional, so our entire focus will now switch to preparing for that,” Potter said. 

Despite failing to make match play, unranked Alabama did defeat three ranked teams in No. 42 Tennessee, No. 29 Kentucky and No. 45 Arkansas — something that will help the team’s odds of earning a regional bid. 

The fields for the NCAA Women’s Golf Regionals will be announced Wednesday, April 26, on the Golf Channel at noon CT. 

Questions or comments? Email Blake Byler (Sports Editor) at [email protected]