RikkeSvejgård Nielsen

Career Stats Breakdown

2021-22 (Fifth-Year Senior): In her final tournament of her career, she earned a 3-over-par 216 with rounds of 72, 71 and 73 to tie for 16th place … At the SEC Championship, she put together a 9-over-par 225 for a share of 36th place … Finished T7 at the Clemson Invitational on a 6-over-par 222 … Rallied a top-15 finish at the Clover Cup, putting together a 2-under-par 214, which featured a first-round 69, for a share of 15th place … Turned in a 13-over-par 226 for T53 at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate … Tied for fourth at the UCF Challenge in Orlando after carding a career-best 207 (9-under par) to be tied for third all-time in school history for 54-hole low … Also set a career-best 18-hole low of 66 (6-under par) in the second round in Orlando, one of the best rounds in program history … Earned a hard fought 1-up victory vs. Louisville’s top player in the fall, Hana Ryskova, in the Battle of the Bluegrass at Club Pelican Bay in Naples, Florida … Appeared in three events in the fall with one top-20 showing … Best showing of the fall at The Ally with a 2-over-par 218 (71-72-75) … Tied for 20th The Ally at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Mississippi … With an 8-over-par 224, tied for 62nd at the Mason Rudolph Championship at Vanderbilt Legends Club in Franklin, Tennessee … After opening with a 74 and a 76 at the Wolverine Invitational at the University of Michigan Golf Course in Ann Arbor, Michigan, had to withdraw in the third round due to illness … Dean’s List in fall 2021, spring 2022 … WGCA All-American Scholar Team member … SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll member.

Summer 2021: Runner-up finish with a two-round score of 1-under par at the Kentucky Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Boone’s Trace National Golf Club in Richmond, Kentucky … Tied for 56th at the European Ladies’ Amateur Championship with a four-round score of 8-over par at Royal Park I Roveri in Turin, Italy … Finished in 18th at the Danish International Ladies Amateur Championship at Silkeborg Ry Golf Club in Silkeborg, Denmark.

2020-21 (Senior): Named the 2021 Southeastern Conference Scholar-Athlete of the Year for her excellence in the classroom and on the course, becoming just the third winner in program history and the first since 2009 … Averaged 75.5 strokes in 11 events … One top-10 finish and three top-20 showings, tied for the most on the team, all coming in the last five events of the season … Six rounds of par or better, tied for second on the team … Played in Kentucky’s first NCAA Championship finals appearance in 29 years … Tied for 118th at 19-over par at the Grayhawk Golf Club’s Raptor Course in Scottsdale, Arizona … Led Kentucky to its first NCAA Championship finals berth since 1992 with a spectacular final round of 2-under-par 70, including a birdie on the final hole, at the NCAA Columbus Regional … Posted her season-low 54-hole total with a 1-over-par 217 (75-72-70) to tie for a season-best fifth place at the Ohio State University Golf Club Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio … Helped UK to its best-ever 54-hole score at the SEC Championship with a 2-over-par 218 (75-70-73) to tie for 45th at Greystone Golf & Country Club’s Legacy Course in Birmingham, Alabama … Followed her first top-20 finish of the season by tying for 20th at the LSU Tiger Golf Classic with a score of 5-over-par 221 (77-74-70) … Carded a season-best-tying 18-hole score of 2-under-par 70 in the final round at the University Club in Baton Rouge, Louisiana … Best showing of the season to that point at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic with a then-season-best score of 7-over par (79-71-73) to tie for 16th place, her first top-20 finish of the season … Carded first under-par round of the season with a 71 in the second round at UGA Golf Course in Athens, Georgia ... Tied for 67th with a score of 12-over par at the Gamecock Intercollegiate at Columbia Country Club in Blythewood, South Carolina … Placed 73rd at the Florida Gators Invitational with a score of 27-over par at Mark Bostick Golf Course in Gainesville, Florida ... Tied for 57th at the UCF Challenge with a score of 10-over par at Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, Florida … Averaged 75.1 strokes in the fall and the team used all nine of her scores … Tied for 45th at the Liz Murphey Fall Collegiate Classic with a score of 11-over par at the UGA Golf Course in Athens, Georgia … With a score of 9-over par, tied for 49th at The Ally at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Mississippi …Tied for 47th at the Blessings Collegiate Invitational with a score of 19-over par at the Blessings Golf Club in Fayetteville, Arkansas … Inducted into the Frank G. Ham Society of Character, which honors Wildcats who have shown an extraordinary commitment to academic excellence, athletic participation, personal development, career preparation and serving as a role model … Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar Team member … SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll member … Dean’s List in fall 2020, spring 2021.

2020 Summer: Nearly won the VejleMatchen at Vejle Golf Club in Vejle, Denmark, with a stunning comeback … Started the final round seven shots back but came all the way back to forced a three-way playoff before falling on the third playoff hole … Competed in the Danish Matchplay Championship.

2019-20 (Junior): Played in a season-high-tying six events in the shortened season … Topped her first-year stroke average with a 73.6 mark in 2019-20, among the best marks single-season school history … Notched a career-best two top-10 showings to go along with three top-20 finishes in six events … Notched her 54-hole career low … Second on the team with eight rounds of par or better … Team used her score in 14 of 17 rounds … Played a key part in UK’s two championships … Tied for 63rd despite opening with a 71 at the Moon Golf Invitational at the Duran Golf Club in Melbourne, Florida … Started the spring strong with a top-10 finish at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic … With rounds of 71-75-70, shot even par and tied for eighth at the Rio Mar Country Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico … Recorded a 73.4 stroke average in four appearances in the fall, including two top-20 showings and a top-10 finish … Tied for 51st with a score of 230 (14-over par) at the Cardinal Cup at the University of Louisville Golf Club in Simpsonville, Kentucky, where UK placed second … Tied for 27th at the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational at the UNC Finley Golf Course with a 1-over-par 217 … Posted rounds of 70 and 71 to start the action in Chapel Hill, North Carolina ... One of the main cogs in UK’s championship at its home tournament, the Bettie Lou Evans Invitational at the University Club of Kentucky in Lexington, the Wildcats’ second straight title … Tied for fifth place at the Bettie Lou and was in the hunt for medalist honors until the final couple of holes … Bettie Lou marked her sixth top-20 showing in 12 collegiate starts … Fired a 2-under par 214 (71-70-73) at the U-Club, a 54-hole career low … Played a key part in UK’s season-opening championship at the Minnesota Invitational at Prestwick Golf Club in Woodbury, Minnesota … Tied for 17th with a 2-over-par 146 for her fifth career top-20 showing … Shot an even-par 72 to open the season in Minnesota … WGCA All-American Scholar Team member … SEC Spring Academic Honor Roll member … Dean’s List in fall 2019, spring 2020.

Summer 2019: Moved from the top 1,000 to inside the top 600 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings … Tied for second place at the Wiibroe Cup at Helsingor Golf Course in Helsingor, Denmark, with scores of 68-70-74 … Placed third at the Danish Matchplay Championship at Sct Knuds Golf Course in Nyborg, Denmark … At the Danish International Ladies Amateur Championship, the biggest amateur tournament in Denmark, tied for sixth at Silkeborg Golf Course in Silkeborg, Denmark.

2018-19 (Sophomore): Appeared in 10 events in her first season with a 75.7 stroke average … Recorded one of UK’s four individual tournament championships … Posted four top-20 showings, second best on the team … Tied for 61st at the SEC Championship with a score of 17-over par (233) at the Greystone Golf & Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama … Finished in a tie for 57th at the Clemson Invitational at Lake Keowee with a score of 4-over par (74-74) at the Reserve at Lake Keowee in Sunset, South Carolina … Tied for 76th at the Bryan National Collegiate with a score of 235 (19-over par) at Bryan Park Champions Golf Course in Browns Summit, North Carolina … Recorded her fourth top-20 finish of the season by tying for 20th at the Clover Cup at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Arizona … Finished at 10-over par with scores of 76-76-74 … Tied for 53rd with a score of 15-over par at the Gold Rush Invitational in Seal Beach, California … Notched her third top-20 finish in her fourth collegiate stroke-play tournament by tying for 19th at the Reynolds Lake Oconee Collegiate Championship in Greensboro, Georgia … Carded a score of 11-over par in Greensboro, including an even-par 72 in the second round … Lost her match vs. Louisville’s Lauren Thibodeau 6 & 5 in the match-play Battle of the Bluegrass at Hoover Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama … Appeared in three events in the fall and averaged 74.1 strokes per round, the second-best mark on the team … Posted two top-20 finishes, including an individual title, second only to Leonie Bettel … Tied for 49th at the Trinity Forest Invitational at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas an 18-over-par 234 (76-83-75) … Played a key part in Kentucky’s Bettie Lou Evans Invitational championship, UK’s first team title in five seasons … Team used her score in two of three rounds en route to a 54-hole school record team score of 858 … Made two key birdies on the back nine of the final round to help UK clinch the championship … Tied for 14th with a 2-over-par 218 (68-76-74) … Held the individual lead after the first round … Began her Kentucky career in spectacular fashion by winning the MSU Greenbrier Invitational at Greenbrier Country Club in Lexington in commanding fashion … Shot a 1-under-par 215 in her first career tournament, the best score by a Wildcat in a debut since Haley Mills in the fall of 2013 … Her final two rounds were under par with a 70 in the second round and a 71 in the finale … Won the MSU Greenbrier Invitational by a staggering 11 shots … Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar Team member … SEC First-Year Academic Honor Roll member … Dean’s List in fall 2018, spring 2019.

Before UK: Originally a swimmer, considered a late bloomer on the golf scene with a ton of upside after picking up the game in 2012 … Notched 11 recognized top-10 finishes in European tournaments … Came to UK ranked No. 250 in the European golf rankings and has been ranked inside the top 1,000 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, a collection of amateurs of all age groups across the globe …  Member of the Danish national team since 2015 … Placed third at the Danish Matchplay Championships in 2017 and fourth at the Danish Strokeplay Championships in 2016 … Placed 20th in a stacked field at the French International Ladies Stroke Play in October with a total score of 2-over par … Won four tournaments in Denmark in 2015.

Personal: Born July 18 … Daughter of Jorgen and Helena Maria Svejgård Nielsen … Has a younger brother, Kasper … Hails from Esbjerg, Denmark … Parents are both civil engineers … Was a member of the Danish national swimming team … Best event was the 200-meter backstroke … Major is agricultural and medical biotechnology.

Why she chose UK: “A lot of things played a part in me signing with UK: One of the main reasons was Golda, the level of the team and UK being a part of the SEC. Golda and I have a really good chemistry and I like how she handles the team, which I’m honored to be a part of and contribute to. The location provides me with a longer season than I have back home in Denmark and everyone is very professional in their work. I just have a really good impression of all of it and that’s why I chose to sign with Kentucky.”

Svejgård Nielsen’s Scorecard:

*Does not include dual matches