Vanderbilt standouts Abbey Carlson and Auston Kim were named today among 20 collegiate golfers nationally to the ANNIKA Award Watch List.
It marks the first time either Carlson, a junior from Lake Mary, Fla., or Kim, a freshman from St. Augustine, Fla., were recognized as candidates for the ANNIKA Award, given annually to the player of the year in women’s golf.
Carlson and Kim are expected to lead the Commodores into competition later today in first-round action of the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational. The 54-hole tourney continues through Sunday in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Carlson is off to a sensational junior campaign for the Commodores. She is currently ranked No. 3 nationally by Golfweek on the strength of a superb individual win at the Mason Rudolph Championships, held in September at the Vanderbilt Legends Club. Carlson fired back-to-back 6-under par rounds of 66 to claim medalist honors by five shots.
Kim, a talented first-year player for the Commodores, hasn’t been far off Carlson’s pace. Kim is ranked No. 15 nationally by Golfweek, and has registered top-10 finishes in both of her collegiate appearances. She finished seventh individually at the Mason Rudolph.
Sparked by Carlson, Kim and senior Courtney Zeng, Greg Allen’s Commodores enter the Tar Heel Invitational ranked No. 2 nationally by Golfweek and No. 3 by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association.
The ANNIKA Award is selected by a panel of collegiate coaches, media members and college golfers. Maria Fassi of Arkansas, medalist at the 2018 Mason Rudolph Championships, is the reigning ANNIKA Award winner.
