University of Tennessee Athletics
Monday, April 6
Dallas, TX
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at
Huntington Bank Collegiate - Rounds 1 & 2
Photo by: Dan Lavin
Strong Second Round Propels #18 Lady Vols on Day One of Huntington Bank Collegiate
April 06, 2026 | Women's Golf
DALLAS – The No. 18 Tennessee women's golf team began its final tournament before the SEC Championship on Monday with the opening 36 holes of the Huntington Bank Collegiate at Trinity Forest Golf Club.
The Lady Vols opened the day with a 3-over-par 291 in round one, before marking a ten-stroke improvement with a 7-under-par 281 in the day's second round. At 4-under-par overall, Tennessee is tied for sixth place with 18 holes remaining. No. 15 UCLA holds a narrow lead at 17-under-par, leading second place Oklahoma State by one stroke. The tournament host, SMU, rounds out the top three at 12-under-par.
Three different Lady Vols closed the day at a team-best 1-under-par, with the trio tied for 17th place among the field of 91 golfers.
After a 2-over-par 74 in round one, Madison Messimer posted Tennessee's low round of the day on her second 18 with a 3-under-par 69. The freshman fired five birdies to just two bogeys for her ninth round in the 60s of the season. Messimer closed the day with momentum, recording birdies on three of her final seven holes to sit at 1-under-par ahead of Tuesday's final round.
Fresh off the first win of her collegiate career, Sophie Christopher opened the Huntington Bank Collegiate with a strong 36 holes. The sophomore carded a 1-over-par 73 in round one before improving with a 2-under-par 70 in round two. Christopher tallied nine birdies across two rounds to clinch a 36-hole score in the red numbers.
The final Lady Vol to close the day at 1-under-par was Kaopan Thapasit. The freshman matched both of Christopher's scores, starting with a 1-over-par 73 in the day's first round before concluding with a 2-under-par 70 in round two. Thapasit had a clean cut second round, featuring four birdies and a lone blemish with a double bogey at hole No. 11.
Kyra Van Kan recorded two consecutive even-par rounds of 72 on Monday. She led Tennessee through 18 holes as the only Lady Vol to post a round of par or better in round one. Closing at even par with a tally of seven birdies on the day, Van Kan is tied for 25th place ahead of round three on Tuesday.
Manassanan Chotikabhukkana clinched Tennessee's final countable team score in both rounds on Monday. The lone senior in the Lady Vols' lineup carded a 1-over-par 73 in round one, before a second round even-par 72 meant all five Tennessee golfers in the lineup earned scores of even par or better on their second 18 of the day. Chotikabhukkana is tied for 33rd place through 36 holes at 1-over-par.
Tennessee will conclude the Huntington Bank Collegiate with round three on Tuesday. The final round will begin with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. EST.
Huntington Bank Collegiate Standings (Round Two)
1. UCLA (-17)
2. Oklahoma State (-16)
3. SMU (-12)
4. Houston (-11)
5. Oklahoma (-7)
T-6. Tennessee (-4)
T-6. Arizona (-4)
8. TCU (+5)
9. Tulane (+8)
10. Colorado State (+11)
11. UCF (+13)
12. San Diego State (+14)
13. Texas Tech (+16)
14. Iowa (+22)
15. Seattle (+23)
16. Cal Poly (+27)
17. Nihon University (+35)
Tennessee Results (Round Two)
T-17. Madison Messimer: 74-69 = 143 (-1)
T-17. Sophie Christopher: 73-70 = 143 (-1)
T-17. Kaopan Thapasit: 73-70 = 143 (-1)
T-25. Kyra Van Kan: 72-72 = 144 (E)
T-33. Manassanan Chotikabhukkana: 73-72 = 145 (+1)
T-51. Sofie Engesaeth (i): 75-73 = 148 (+4)
The Lady Vols opened the day with a 3-over-par 291 in round one, before marking a ten-stroke improvement with a 7-under-par 281 in the day's second round. At 4-under-par overall, Tennessee is tied for sixth place with 18 holes remaining. No. 15 UCLA holds a narrow lead at 17-under-par, leading second place Oklahoma State by one stroke. The tournament host, SMU, rounds out the top three at 12-under-par.
Three different Lady Vols closed the day at a team-best 1-under-par, with the trio tied for 17th place among the field of 91 golfers.
After a 2-over-par 74 in round one, Madison Messimer posted Tennessee's low round of the day on her second 18 with a 3-under-par 69. The freshman fired five birdies to just two bogeys for her ninth round in the 60s of the season. Messimer closed the day with momentum, recording birdies on three of her final seven holes to sit at 1-under-par ahead of Tuesday's final round.
Fresh off the first win of her collegiate career, Sophie Christopher opened the Huntington Bank Collegiate with a strong 36 holes. The sophomore carded a 1-over-par 73 in round one before improving with a 2-under-par 70 in round two. Christopher tallied nine birdies across two rounds to clinch a 36-hole score in the red numbers.
The final Lady Vol to close the day at 1-under-par was Kaopan Thapasit. The freshman matched both of Christopher's scores, starting with a 1-over-par 73 in the day's first round before concluding with a 2-under-par 70 in round two. Thapasit had a clean cut second round, featuring four birdies and a lone blemish with a double bogey at hole No. 11.
Kyra Van Kan recorded two consecutive even-par rounds of 72 on Monday. She led Tennessee through 18 holes as the only Lady Vol to post a round of par or better in round one. Closing at even par with a tally of seven birdies on the day, Van Kan is tied for 25th place ahead of round three on Tuesday.
Manassanan Chotikabhukkana clinched Tennessee's final countable team score in both rounds on Monday. The lone senior in the Lady Vols' lineup carded a 1-over-par 73 in round one, before a second round even-par 72 meant all five Tennessee golfers in the lineup earned scores of even par or better on their second 18 of the day. Chotikabhukkana is tied for 33rd place through 36 holes at 1-over-par.
Tennessee will conclude the Huntington Bank Collegiate with round three on Tuesday. The final round will begin with a shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. EST.
Huntington Bank Collegiate Standings (Round Two)
1. UCLA (-17)
2. Oklahoma State (-16)
3. SMU (-12)
4. Houston (-11)
5. Oklahoma (-7)
T-6. Tennessee (-4)
T-6. Arizona (-4)
8. TCU (+5)
9. Tulane (+8)
10. Colorado State (+11)
11. UCF (+13)
12. San Diego State (+14)
13. Texas Tech (+16)
14. Iowa (+22)
15. Seattle (+23)
16. Cal Poly (+27)
17. Nihon University (+35)
Tennessee Results (Round Two)
T-17. Madison Messimer: 74-69 = 143 (-1)
T-17. Sophie Christopher: 73-70 = 143 (-1)
T-17. Kaopan Thapasit: 73-70 = 143 (-1)
T-25. Kyra Van Kan: 72-72 = 144 (E)
T-33. Manassanan Chotikabhukkana: 73-72 = 145 (+1)
T-51. Sofie Engesaeth (i): 75-73 = 148 (+4)
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
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