The No. 3 Auburn Women's Golf team took its game west to open the spring season.
The Tigers competed in the Arizona Wildcat Invitational in Tucson, Ariz., Monday and Tuesday at the Arizona National Golf Club.
The field consisted of 16 teams, including 11 teams ranked in the Top 25, including No. 8 Duke, No. 21 Arizona and No. 22 Stanford.
Auburn shot a 37-overpar 605 to finish in eighth place, while No. 1 Arizona State took home the team championship with an 8-over-par 576.
"We had a couple of big holes that really cost us," said head coach Kim Evans. "I felt like we could've finished in sixth, so we are a little disappointed. It's close, but we got halfway there."
Junior Cydney Clanton paced the Tigers, shooting a combined 144 to finish the tournament in a tie for fourth individually at 2-over.
Clanton's play this year has resulted in a Top 5 finish in every tournament.
"I just keep practicing and working on things that need to be improved," Clanton said. "In each tournament, I try to stay patient and do what I can and take one shot at a time."
Senior Candace Schepperle, redshirt junior Karlin Beck and sophomores Haley Wilson and Patricia Sanz also competed for Auburn.
Sanz finished the tournament tied for 14th after shooting a 6-over-par 148.
Schepperle posted a 14-over-par 156 to finish tied for 50th.
Wilson finished in a tie for 53rd with a 15-overpar 157.
Beck rounded out the group with a 29-over-par 171, finishing in a tie for 88th.
Freshman Carlie Yadloczky represented the Tigers in individual play and shot a 9-over-par 151 for the event to finish in a tie for 27th.
The tournament was originally scheduled for three rounds, but severe weather invaded the area after Monday morning's first round which forced a cancellation of the next 18 holes.
While Evans didn't make any excuses for her team, she said the conditions did make it difficult for Auburn to mount a comeback.
"We got out to a bad start (Monday) with extreme weather, and you can't make a move in extreme weather," Evans said. "(Tuesday) we got off to a better start, but the conditions didn't stay good."
After finishing the opening round tied for 11th with a 24-over-par 308, the Tigers rebounded on the second day to shoot a 13-over-par 297. The Tigers were led by Clanton and Sanz in the final round, posting a 1-under-par 70 and a 2-over-par 73 respectively.
Evans said her team kept competing despite the weather and the long odds to win the tournament, and she is hopeful that the event will serve as a learning tool for future matches.
"We stayed in (the tournament), though, and that's all you can ask for," Evans said. "Hopefully we've learned and will be better prepared for the next one."
The Tigers will look to improve all facets of their game in preparation for their next tournament.
"I think everyone needs to work just on their basics," Clanton said. "Just keep on working on the short game and putting, and just keep at it."
Auburn will have the next week off before hosting a one-day event March 7.
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