Adams' final-round surge lifts Augusta to Tiger Classic title

By Rodrigo Burgos Avila | Sports editor

There were 10 holes left, three par 5s waiting to be played and a tournament still within reach.

For Augusta University senior Sara Adams, that was all the motivation she needed.

Adams sat at 3-under par at the Tiger Classic in Clemson, South Carolina, when she looked at the leaderboard and saw the leader sitting at the same score. Rather than play it safe, Adams decided it was time to attack.

“So I told myself, ‘I’ve got three par fives left, so if I convert all those, you know, let’s go win this thing,’” Adams said. “I’ve dreamed about being in a position where you can kind of have the tournament at your fingertips, and I was like, ‘Let’s do it.’ And I didn’t hold anything back, being aggressive and just let it fly, and it worked.”

It did more than work.

Adams fired a 5-under-par 67 in the second round to win the individual title by one shot, while the Jaguars finished the tournament at 3-over par and shared the team championship with host Clemson.

The title marked Augusta’s first women’s golf co-championship since the Jaguars won the Southland Conference Championship in 2024. For Adams, the individual victory was Augusta’s first since Zoe Pinillos won the individual Southland Conference championship in 2025.

The Jaguars finished one shot ahead of East Carolina, which placed third at 4-over par. West Georgia finished fourth at 8-over, followed by East Tennessee State at 10-over, UNCG at 17-over, Western Carolina at 30-over and UNC Asheville at 46-over.

Augusta entered the final stretch of the tournament with an opportunity to make an early statement in the season. Adams made sure the Jaguars took advantage of it.

Her opening round was steady, as she finished at even par with three birdies and three bogeys. But she found another level in the second round.

Adams made six birdies and just one bogey, finishing with the best round of the tournament. Her final birdie came on her 18th hole of the day, a putt that ultimately proved to be the difference in the individual competition.

For Adams, the performance came after a summer that did not always provide the results she wanted.

She played in a number of tournaments throughout the summer but said she struggled to find her best form. The stretch left her frustrated and, at times, unsure of where her game stood heading into the fall.

“If you told me a month ago that this would happen, I’d tell you that’s pretty crazy,” Adams said. “I would never doubt it, but I definitely wasn’t in the best headspace.”

Still, the work continued.

One of the biggest parts of Adams’ summer preparation came at her home course, where she regularly competed against men and played from longer yardages. The experience forced her to become more comfortable hitting longer shots and executing under pressure.

“I think it just got me more comfortable on really hitting hard, having to hit good shots, having to perform,” Adams said.

That preparation showed up when the Jaguars needed it most.

Adams was not the only Augusta golfer to deliver a strong performance. Puntita Pawichai finished seventh individually at even par after rounds of 73 and 71. Her second round included an eagle on No. 9, helping her climb the leaderboard and contribute to Augusta’s team effort.

Newcomer McKinley Holding also made an immediate impact in her first tournament with the Jaguars. Holding carded rounds of 74 and 72 to finish 15th overall. Across the two rounds, she recorded three birdies and five bogeys.

Danielle Higbee provided another counting score for Augusta, shooting 74 in the opening round and 76 in the second. Higbee finished her tournament with three birdies in the afternoon.

Keira Gonzalez-McCarthy shot a 78 in the opening round, which did not count toward the team score.

Playing as an individual, Sofia Valera finished tied for 20th after rounds of 75 and 73.

Together, those performances were enough to put Augusta at the top of the leaderboard alongside Clemson.

But the final word belonged to Adams.

After spending the summer searching for consistency, the senior found herself exactly where she had wanted to be: with a tournament within her reach and the opportunity to decide the outcome herself.

With three par 5s remaining, she chose aggression over caution. The birdies followed, and so did the championship.

For a team beginning its season, Augusta could hardly have asked for a better opening statement.

The team poses together for a picture after being crowned co-champions at the Tiger Classic. From left to right, Danielle Higbee, Puntita Pawichai, Sara Adams, McKinley Holding, Keira Gonzalez-McCarthy, Sofia Valera, Alison Crenshaw and Ruan Pretorious.

At the top of the page, Sara Adams hoists the individual medalist trophy. (photos by Clemson Athletics)