Paula Kirner

AWARDS/HONORS

• SEC All-Freshman Team (2021)
• SEC Freshman of the Week – March 10, 2021
• SEC Academic Honor Roll (2021, 2022)
• WGCA All-American Scholar (2021, 2022)

2021-22

• Saw action in six stroke play events, competing as an individual each time
• Logged a season scoring average of 77.22 in 18 rounds played
• Was subbed in for the third round of the 2022 NCAA Championship (May 22) at Grayhawk and shot 84 (+12)
• Subbed in for the match play quarterfinals at the SEC Championship vs. No. 9 Alabama ; fell 3&1 to Benedetta Moresco as the Crimson Tide advanced with a 3-2 victory
• Her lone start of the season came at the Wolfpack Match Play (April 3-4) where she went 2-1 and helped the team to a 3-0 record en route to its program-record fifth win of the season
• Had a season-best finish at the Valspar Invitational (March 12-13) ; shot 148 (+4) with rounds of 75 (+3) and 73 (+1) while finishing T-10^th, her first career top-10 finish

2020-21

• Earned a spot on the SEC All-Freshman team
• Played in nine of the 10 tournaments the Gamecocks competed in
• Posted a strong performance in the stroke play portion of the SEC Championship, carding an even par 72 in the first round and finishing with a 2-under 70 in the final round
• Had her best performance as a Gamecock so far at the Valspar Augusta Invitational carding a 1-under 215, including her career-best second round, 4-under 68, to finish tied for 17th place
• Named SEC Freshman of the Week after her performance at the Valspar Augusta Invitational
• Competed at The Ally, notching the best round of her Carolina career to that point with a first round 1-under 71
• Made her South Carolina debut at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational and found a groove as the tournament went on, finishing the event with five birdies in the final round to earn a tie for 31st place

PRIOR TO SOUTH CAROLINA

• Finished fifth at the Youth Olympic Games in 2018
• Four-time German national champion
• Took second at the International Amateur Championship in 2019
• Finished third at the British Girls championship in 2017

PERSONAL

• Born May 5, 2002
• Daughter of Maren and Michael Kirner
• Her father worked as a tennis coach and her grandfather Anton was known for his tennis abilities and ski jumping
• Chose South Carolina because the coaches and campus made a tremendous impression during her visit and she believes being a Gamecock will be a springboard to a successful life, both academically and athletically