Galitsky Charges into Top 10 as Gamecocks Place Fifth
Brad Repplinger
LAKE ELMO, Minn. (Sept. 9, 2026) – Veteran All-American golfer Eila Galitsky made a final-round push in the season opener at The ANNIKA Intercollegiate on Wednesday with a 5-under par (67) to jump into a tie for eighth overall.
South Carolina, ranked No. 10 in the Golf Channel preseason poll and No. 15 in Golfweek, finished fifth in a loaded 12-team field. In fact, eight of the 12 teams were ranked inside both preseason polls. The Gamecocks finished the season-opening tournament even par (864) with scores of 288-287-289. South Carolina posted a strong finish of 6-under-par during the final nine holes of the closing round, solidifying the top-five finish.
Galitsky began the tournament with a 77 (+5) in the opening round but battled back with consecutive rounds under par, firing a 71 (-1) second round followed by a bogey-free closing 67 (-5). The Thailand native posted a 54-hole total of 215 (-1) for her 10th top-10 finish of her collegiate career. She finished with 11 birdies on the week, tying teammates Amelia Harris and Molly McLean. Her par-5 scoring average of 4.58 led the Gamecocks and ranked third in the field.
Touted freshman Amelia Harris posted a score of 217 (+1) following rounds of 70-74-73 to finish T-15th in her collegiate debut. The Australia native was one of just seven golfers in the field to post a scoring average under par on the par 3s, finishing the week with a mark of 2.92. Alicia Olsson finished T-22nd with a score of 218 (+2) after carding rounds of 73-71-74. The Sweden native led the field in pars with 40.
Molly McLean (+4) and Vairana Heck (+8) rounded out the Gamecock participants this week with McLean finishing T-29th with a score of 220 (72-73-75) and Heck sitting T-36th at 224 (73-72-79).
The Gamecocks will have a quick turnaround as they travel to Dallas, Texas to compete in the Jackson T. Stephens Cup. The three-day event will begin on Monday, Sept. 14 and conclude on Wednesday, Sept. 16. Golf Channel will provide live coverage each day of competition.
2026 ANNIKA Intercollegiate Final Gamecock Leaderboard
T8. Eila Galitsky – 215 (-1)
T15. Amelia Harris – 217 (+1)
T22. Alicia Olsson – 218 (+2)
T29. Molly McLean – 220 (+4)
T36. Vairana Heck – 224 (+8)
2026 ANNIKA Intercollegiate Final Team Leaderboard (Golfweek/GolfChannel Top 30)
1. No. 6/7 Wake Forest – 840 (-24)
2. No. 2/2 Southern California – 850 (-14)
3. No. 12/11 Oregon – 862 (-2)
4. No. 8/9 Auburn – 863 (-1)
5. No. 15/10 South Carolina – 864 (E)
T6. No. 19/22 Virginia – 867 (+3)
T6. No. 11/16 UCLA – 867 (+3)
8. No. 26/28 North Carolina – 890 (+26)
9. Missouri – 901 (+37)
10. Houston – 905 (+41)
11. Kansas State – 906 (+42)
12. Minnesota – 918 (+54)
