University of Tennessee Athletics
Friday, April 17
University of Tennessee
vs
SEC Championship - Round 1
Photo by: Rob Davis
Messimer Leads #18 Lady Vols in First Round of SEC Championship
April 17, 2026 | Women's Golf
BELLEAIR, Fla. – The No. 18 Tennessee women's golf began the 2026 SEC Championship on Friday with the opening 18 holes of stroke play at Pelican Golf Club.
The Lady Vols posted a 4-over-par 284 in the tournaments first round to sit tied for tenth place entering Saturday's second round. Tennessee is just four strokes behind No. 16 Mississippi State and Arkansas tied for seventh place, with the team needing a top eight 54-hole team score to qualify for match play at the end of stroke play on Sunday. Six teams carded opening round scores under par, with No. 4 Texas A&M and No. 14 Vanderbilt leading the way at 4-under-par.
Madison Messimer delivered atop Tennessee's lineup on Friday, earning a team-best 2-under-par 68 in round one. The freshman showed no nerves in her SEC Championship debut, 3-under-par on the front nine behind four birdies. A birdie on hole No. 14 highlighted a 1-over-par back-nine, allowing Messimer to finish the day as the only Lady Vol under par. She is tied for seventh place among the 80-golfer field ahead of round two, two strokes behind a trio of individual leaders.
The other freshman in the Lady Vols' lineup recorded the team's second-best score in round one as Kaopan Thapasit concluded the round with an even-par 70. The Thailand native went bogey free on her first 15 holes of the day, a stretch that featured three birdies, before a double bogey on hole No. 16 and a bogey on hole No. 17. Thapasit is tied for 21st place entering round two on Saturday.
A SEC Championship veteran, Manassanan Chotikabhukkana opened her fourth and final appearance in the tournament with a 2-over-par 72 in round one. The lone Lady Vol senior in the lineup closed the day with a bogey-free back nine, going two-under-par in the stretch with birdies on hole No. 10 and hole No. 17. Chotikabhukkana is tied for 38th place.
Sophie Christopher and Kyra Van Kan tied for Tennessee's final countable score in round one, posting a pair of 4-over-par 74s. The sophomore duo is tied for 57th place through 18 holes.
The SEC Championship will continue on Saturday with round two of stroke play at Pelican Golf Club.
SEC Championship Standings (Round One)
T-1. Texas A&M (-4)
T-1. Vanderbilt (-4)
T-3. Florida (-3)
T-3. Ole Miss (-3)
T-3. Texas (-3)
6. Arkansas (-2)
T-7. Mississippi State (E)
T-7. Oklahoma (E)
9. Auburn (+3)
T-10. Tennessee (+4)
T-10. South Carolina (+4)
12. Missouri (+8)
13. Kentucky (+9)
14. Georgia (+15)
T-15. LSU (+16)
T-15. Alabama (+16)
Tennessee Results (Round One)
T-7. Madison Messimer: 68 (-2)
T-21. Kaopan Thapasit: 70 (E)
T-38. Manassanan Chotikabhukkana: 72 (+2)
T-57. Sophie Christopher: 74 (+4)
T-57. Kyra Van Kan: 74 (+4)
The Lady Vols posted a 4-over-par 284 in the tournaments first round to sit tied for tenth place entering Saturday's second round. Tennessee is just four strokes behind No. 16 Mississippi State and Arkansas tied for seventh place, with the team needing a top eight 54-hole team score to qualify for match play at the end of stroke play on Sunday. Six teams carded opening round scores under par, with No. 4 Texas A&M and No. 14 Vanderbilt leading the way at 4-under-par.
Madison Messimer delivered atop Tennessee's lineup on Friday, earning a team-best 2-under-par 68 in round one. The freshman showed no nerves in her SEC Championship debut, 3-under-par on the front nine behind four birdies. A birdie on hole No. 14 highlighted a 1-over-par back-nine, allowing Messimer to finish the day as the only Lady Vol under par. She is tied for seventh place among the 80-golfer field ahead of round two, two strokes behind a trio of individual leaders.
The other freshman in the Lady Vols' lineup recorded the team's second-best score in round one as Kaopan Thapasit concluded the round with an even-par 70. The Thailand native went bogey free on her first 15 holes of the day, a stretch that featured three birdies, before a double bogey on hole No. 16 and a bogey on hole No. 17. Thapasit is tied for 21st place entering round two on Saturday.
A SEC Championship veteran, Manassanan Chotikabhukkana opened her fourth and final appearance in the tournament with a 2-over-par 72 in round one. The lone Lady Vol senior in the lineup closed the day with a bogey-free back nine, going two-under-par in the stretch with birdies on hole No. 10 and hole No. 17. Chotikabhukkana is tied for 38th place.
Sophie Christopher and Kyra Van Kan tied for Tennessee's final countable score in round one, posting a pair of 4-over-par 74s. The sophomore duo is tied for 57th place through 18 holes.
The SEC Championship will continue on Saturday with round two of stroke play at Pelican Golf Club.
SEC Championship Standings (Round One)
T-1. Texas A&M (-4)
T-1. Vanderbilt (-4)
T-3. Florida (-3)
T-3. Ole Miss (-3)
T-3. Texas (-3)
6. Arkansas (-2)
T-7. Mississippi State (E)
T-7. Oklahoma (E)
9. Auburn (+3)
T-10. Tennessee (+4)
T-10. South Carolina (+4)
12. Missouri (+8)
13. Kentucky (+9)
14. Georgia (+15)
T-15. LSU (+16)
T-15. Alabama (+16)
Tennessee Results (Round One)
T-7. Madison Messimer: 68 (-2)
T-21. Kaopan Thapasit: 70 (E)
T-38. Manassanan Chotikabhukkana: 72 (+2)
T-57. Sophie Christopher: 74 (+4)
T-57. Kyra Van Kan: 74 (+4)
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