WEST POINT — The fall collegiate golf season, in many respects, is the preseason, the precursor to what happens in the spring.
However, for Mississippi State women’s golf, it’s a time to make a statement to the rest of the SEC and the country heading into the spring.
Currently ranked inside the top five nationally, the Bulldogs have had themselves quite the fall, all of it leading up to its lone home tournament of the season, The Ally.
“It’s been a really positive fall,” head coach Charlie Ewing said. “I think what we’ve seen is that the players have really bonded with each other, really bought into the program, kind of like everyone going in the same boat going in the same direction.”
The tournament, named after Mississippi State women’s golf standout, three-time LGPA Tour winner and wife of Charlie, Ally Ewing, holds a great significance for MSU.
Currently in her eighth year playing professionally, Ewing is an avid and active supporter of the Bulldogs and will most certainly be in attendance and around Old Waverly Golf Club this Monday and Tuesday.
“It’s special for her to be out here and she really works the event a bit,” Charlie said. “She likes to volunteer herself for some things and that’s really special to see her giving back to college golf because she knows what college golf has done for her.”
With how golf schedules are set up on an annual basis, the Bulldogs get just one home tournament a year, so this is the time to show out in front of the home crowd.
They’ll be able to do so amongst a stacked roster of competition, with the likes of No. 7 Ole Miss, Alabama, SMU and more playing in it.
MSU has done its part to make sure it’s prepared to do so, having won its past two tournaments at Vanderbilt and Arkansas in team competition.
Additionally, sophomore Julia Lopez Ramirez won the individual championship at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., her fourth individual title won in her Mississippi State career.
“For me individually, I feel like I’m playing very organized golf, very constant golf,” Ramirez said. “I think that’s a very good thing for me and if I can keep on that roll, we’re good.”
Ramirez is third in the country in adjusted scoring average at 69.32 and is ranked sixth overall individually by Golfstat.com.
Additionally, she’s the second-ranked sophomore in the country, very much one of the major anchors of this Bulldogs team.
This will be the second Ally that Ramirez will be competing in, but for others, like Hannah Levi, one of three seniors on MSU, this is their last Ally of their Bulldog careers.
“It’s bittersweet, but it’s really been an honor playing for this university the last five years,” Levi said. “Growing up a Mississippi State fan, wearing maroon and white from a very early age, it was always a dream to play golf at Mississippi State. It’s been quite a great time.”
The two-day, 54-hole event will see 36 holes of golf being played on Monday and the final 18 holes played on Tuesday.
This is a time to honor the greats of MSU past, but a time to shape the stars of MSU present and future.
Playing in a field that includes four total top-45 teams in the country and talent from Power Five conferences like the SEC and Big Ten, to name a few, State has a point to prove.
“The team has played really well,” Levi said. “By no means do I think we’ve played our best golf as a team. There’s been a lot of great rounds, a lot of consistent golf, but there’s still a lot for us to improve on.”
“Being able to come home and play in this event, we’re honored to play in it and we want to build off the success we’ve had and keep it going.”
State is paired with James Madison on Monday and will tee off at 9:05 a.m.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 46 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
