Sophia Macias is not easing into college golf.
The Tulane freshman from Denham Springs is set to tee it up in the Louisiana Golf Association men's amateur sectional qualifier at English Turn Golf & Country Club in New Orleans on May 18, becoming the first woman to play in the men's qualifier in the event's roughly 107-year history. She will play from the same white tees used by the men and will try to earn a spot in the state championship field.
LGA Signs Off On Historic Entry
According to NOLA.com, the Louisiana Golf Association reviewed Macias's application and approved her for men's sectional qualifying, clearing the way for her to play from the white tees normally reserved for the male field.
The NOLA.com report also notes that Macias is a former Louisiana state high school champion and that she is not just aiming to make an appearance. Her stated goal is to qualify and hold her own against the entire field. On the competitive side, she told the outlet that, in her view, "it's just people I'm competing against."
How The Sectional Works
The 2026 schedule on the Louisiana Golf Association site lists the New Orleans men's sectional qualifier for May 18 at English Turn Golf & Country Club. Top finishers from that event will advance to the 107th Louisiana Amateur Championship, according to the LGA calendar.
English Turn lists the club address as 1 Clubhouse Drive in New Orleans and describes the course as a Jack Nicklaus design. It will provide the stage for Macias's bid to join the state championship field out of the men's side.
Macias's Résumé
Macias is listed as a freshman on the Tulane women's golf roster at Tulane Athletics, which credits her with low rounds for the Green Wave this season, including strong scoring at recent conference events.
Local high school leaderboards show she captured a Louisiana state title as a prep player, a credential that helped bolster her case to enter men's sectional qualifying in the first place. Taken together, those results help explain why she chose to test herself in the men's qualifier rather than limiting her schedule to women's-only events.
Why This Run Matters
Women competing in men's tournaments has precedent at the top levels of the sport, most famously Annika Sörenstam's start at the PGA Tour's Colonial tournament in 2003. Golf Channel covered that entry and the debate it sparked over how and where women fit into traditionally male fields.
At the state amateur level, though, such crossovers remain rare. The Louisiana Golf Association's entry materials state that men's sectional qualifying is open to amateurs who meet handicap and membership requirements, which provided the procedural path for Macias's inclusion. For details on eligibility, see the Louisiana Golf Association.
Macias is scheduled to tee off May 18 at English Turn, and local golf watchers will be paying attention to see whether she can turn this bold move into a place in the state championship. For team news, follow Tulane Athletics, and for event details and spectator information, check English Turn.
If she advances, Macias would join the relatively small group of women who have stepped into men's competition at high levels and will carve her own spot in Louisiana's long-running amateur golf story.
