Eila Galitsky wasted no time making her presence known in the collegiate golf world.
Galitsky sunk a 35-foot birdie on the first playoff hole to defeat Lottie Woad of Florida State on Tuesday, winning the Moon Golf Invitational at Suntree Country Club in Melbourne, Fla., in just her second collegiate start.
Woad is currently ranked No. 1 in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com Women's Rankings, and Galitsky is ranked No. 23.
Galitsky and Woad finished the 54 holes at 5-under. Galitsky carded rounds of 72-70-69, and Woad carded rounds of 71-69-71.
According to South Carolina Athletics, her 3-under 69 final round 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.
Lauren Kim of Texas finished in solo third place at 4-under, and just one shot out of the playoff. Ing Ladpluem of North Carolina finished in solo fourth place at 3-under, and Anne-Sterre Den Dunnen of Wake Forest finished in solo fifth place at 2-under to round out the top five.
In the team competition, Florida State finished as the only team under par, shooting 2-under and securing a three-shot win. The Seminoles carded rounds of 286-287-289 in the victory.
Wake Forest finished in solo second place at 1-over, and South Carolina finished in solo third place at 2-over,