Collegiate stars take advantage of start on LPGA Tour

November 12, 2023 | by Justin Golba of AmateurGolf.com

Rachel Kuehn (Courtesy of the LPGA Tour)

Rachel Kuehn and Louise Rydvquist made the cut, and Kuehn recorded a top-15 finish at the ANNIKA.

Every amateur dreams about being able to test their game against the best in the world.

Rachel Kuehn of Wake Forest and Louise Rydqvist of Florida State got that opportunity at The ANNIKA at Pelican Golf Club in Bellaire, Fla., and made the most of it.

Both golfers made the cut comfortably, with the cut falling at even par and Kuehn shooting a two-day score of 5-under and Rydqvist shooting 2-under.

.@WakeWGolf's @rachel_kuehn_ is ready to get the week started. 💪@theANNIKAlpga | #LeadwithLegacy pic.twitter.com/MMQHcPxsfg
— ANNIKA Foundation (@ANNIKA_Fdn) November 8, 2023

"Yeah, I mean, it was so much fun to test my game against some of the best players in the world," Kuehn said after her final round. "I'm incredibly appreciative of the opportunity to be here."

Rydqvist was 7-under through three rounds but shot a 3-over 73 in the final round to finish T46.

Kuehn followed up her first two rounds of 69-66 with two rounds of 3-under 67 to shoot 11-under and record a T15 finish.

Kuehn and the Deacs have won three team titles this fall, including the Schooner Classic in September, the Jackson T. Stephens Cup in October, and the East Lake Cup.

"It's not every day you get to tee it up against professionals, so I'm really happy with how I played," Kuehn said. "I didn't quite have my A-game, but I managed to get it around and score nicely. It's done a lot for my confidence in that sense."

Kuehn was the 2022 and 2023 ACC golfer of the year and helped lead the Demon Deacons to a national title in 2023.

This is a great building block for the star amateur as she looks ahead to a pro career.

"Not only just for the spring but moving forward, when it does come time to turn professional, knowing I can compete out here is a big confidence boost," Kuehn said.

And, of course, she was rooting for her fellow amateur out there.

"Luckily, I had a good week, and I was following -- I played behind Louise," Kuehn said. "It was fun to watch her make some birdies today. She is such a sweetheart, so I was definitely pulling for her. I am happy the two amateurs could come and make our own here."

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