Following two top-10 finishes in its first two tournaments of the year, the Mississippi State University women’s golf team placed first Wednesday in the Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational. 
The team broke numerous records, including a school-record 275 in the final round to finish the three-round tournament with a 20-under-par 844. The total score bettered the previous record set by the 1999 squad at the Lady Seminole Invitational. 
The win was the first victory for the program since the 2004 Wildcat Fall Invitational. 
MSU’s All-American Ally McDonald claimed top honors shooting 9-under at 207 for the tournament. In the final round, McDonald fired seven birdies, including on No. 18. She said experience in last year’s home invitational was a key factor for her success this year.
“Last year, I knew I had a good chance to win at home. Unfortunately, I didn’t play the best I could have. My first round put me out of the running because I shot a 74,” she said. “This year, I had a different approach. I didn’t pressure myself as much, and I was able to pull off even more shots and more putts than I did last year. I think most of that comes from being more experienced.”
Teammate Jessica Peng also delivered a career performance as she finished 8-under at 208, just one stroke behind McDonald. 
With a 10-stroke lead entering the final round Wednesday, eight of the nine Bulldog golfers shot even-par or better to secure the title by 21 strokes. Following McDonald and Peng, teammates Ji Eun Baik (T4), Mary Langdon Gallagher (T-8) and Blaise Carabello (T-10) posted top-10 finishes in the tournament.
McDonald said the Bulldogs’ win simply reflects the effort the team has put forth since the beginning of the year. 
“We’ve worked really hard leading up to all these tournaments. To play on a home course is an advantage and builds confidence if you know how to play the course,” she said. “All the girls prepared very hard, and we knew we had a good opportunity to win the tournament. Everyone performed just as we anticipated, and we came out with a win.”
Head coach Ginger Brown-Lemm said she was proud of the way her squad performed in the 11-team invitational, and she noted depth on the roster allowed the team to come away with the victory.
“It’s pretty amazing. We have not been in a position depth-wise to be ready to win yet, and it was just the perfect time. It was our turn to win,” she said. “We had worked so hard leading up to the event, and we had played so well with so many top-10 finishes. To really commandingly win the event was a lot of fun.”
The Bulldogs now travel to Brown-Lemm’s alma mater, the University of Texas for the Betsy Rawls Invitational Oct. 13-15, their final tournament until February. 
Brown-Lemm said her squad will continue to rely on experience to meet high expectations.
“I think their expectations for themselves are high. Ally (McDonald), Mary Langdon (Gallagher) and Rica (Tse) have all played the course we’re going to at UT. That’s a big advantage with their experience level,” she said. “My two freshmen have had so much experience outside collegiate golf, and it did a lot for them to play so well at home. I think we’re ready to do well again.”