Galitsky Wins in Playoff ; No. 4 Gamecocks Take Third at Moon Golf Invitaitonal

Posted by author February 18, 2025 Golf

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MELBOURNE, Fla. – Highly touted freshman Eila Galitsky sunk a 35-foot birdie on the first playoff hole to defeat world No. 1 Lottie Woad of Florida State on Tuesday, winning the Moon Golf Invitational in just her second collegiate start.

Galitsky, who is also ranked in the top-20 in the world, shot 211 (-5) this week with scores of 72-70-69. Her 69 (-3) today was a new career low and she was bogey free on the back nine with back-to-back birdies down the stretch at holes 15 and 16. She becomes the Gamecocks’ second champion this season and the first freshman champion since All-American Pauline Roussin-Bouchard won twice during her first season on campus in 2019-20.

Senior All-American Hannah Darling shot up the leaderboard over the last two rounds, moving 48 spots up to T-14^th at 1-over thanks to 2-under 70s in the second and third rounds. The Midlothian, Scotland, native has now finished in the top-15 in all six starts this season. She has an impressive 28 career top-20 finishes in 37 starts now over the last four seasons.

The No. 4 Gamecocks had another top-five finish in an elite field this week at the Moon Golf Invitational that featured 11 top-25 teams. Carolina, who was without All-American Louise Rydqvist this week, fired under par rounds Monday and Tuesday to finish solo third behind No. 7 Florida State and No. 12 Wake Forest.

Graduate Sophia Burnett and sophomore Vai Heck had solid tournaments, each finishing T-27^th at 5-over. Heck shot even par today in round three, her best score of the event. Burnett logged an even par 72 in the second round on Monday that featured three birdies. Sophomore Maylis Lamoure finished T-34^th at 6-over.

The Gamecocks will be off for two weeks before hosting the 13^th edition of the prestigious Darius Rucker Intercollegiate. It will be one of the strongest fields of the season with 13 of the 17 teams competing ranked in the top-25. Golf Channel will again provide TV coverage all three days of the event. For more information on the event, click here.

2025 Moon Golf Invitational Final Leaderboard

1. No. 7 Florida State – 862 (-2)

2. No. 12 Wake Forest – 865 (+1)

3. No. 4 South Carolina – 866 (+2)

4. No. 6 Texas – 872 (+8)

5. No. 16 Ole Miss – 874 (+10)

6. No. 18 Texas A&M – 875 (+11)

7. No. 21 Auburn – 877 (+13)

8. No. 9 Northwestern – 879 (+15)

9. UCF – 885 (+21)

10. No. 15 North Carolina – 888 (+24)

11. Louisville – 889 (+25)