It took just three college events for Molly Smith (Westford, Mass.) to break through and win an individual title. The University of Central Florida rookie fired rounds of 66-70-65 on her way to a dominant five-shot victory in the Mercedes-Benz Intercollegiate at Cherokee Country Club in Knoxville, Tenn.
The victory was quite the statement. Smith's 201 (-12) total score set the tournament's scoring record. It was also the fifth-lowest tournament score in UCF women's golf history.
Smith is no stranger to winning golf tournaments or being in the hunt on the final day. The Westford Academy product won the 2021 Ouimet Memorial by 10 shots. This wire-to-wire win was impressive because she did have opponents on her heels following the first and second rounds. Her 66 on the first day was one shot better than Patricie Mackova of Maryland. Smith made four birdies and an eagle on day 1. The eagle came on the 354-yard par-4 17th hole where she holed out from 83 yards.
"The big highlight came back in the first round. I was one under with three holes to play and I went birdie, then holed out from 83 yards for eagle, and then birdied 18," Smith wrote in a message to New England Golf Journal.