SUGAR GROVE, Ill. – Northwestern will be the No. 1 match play seed at the 2017 NCAA Women's Golf Championships and will face No. 8 Kent State on Tuesday, after wrapping up a dominant three days of stroke play on Monday at Rich Harvest Farms. Junior Hannah Kim led the way in round three for the 'Cats, who placed all five student-athletes in the Top-24 of the individual leaderboard.
RESULTS – 2017 NCAA Women's Golf Championship (Stroke Play)
PURCHASE TICKETS
This marks the first trip to the match play portion of the competition — now in its third year — for head coach Emily Fletcher, assistant Beth Miller and Northwestern, which is now guaranteed of its best NCAA Championships result in program history for the fifth-straight year. The 'Cats earned 15th-place results in 2013 and 2014, a 10th-place finish in 2015 and then a ninth-place standing last spring.
Northwestern posted the best score in the 24-team field on Friday, and did so again on Sunday after weather wiped out Saturday's action. By the end of 54 holes, the Wildcats built an eighth-stroke gap over second-place Stanford, and finished 22 strokes above the cut line for entry into match play.
The 'Cats will tee off against Kent State beginning 7:50 a.m. CT Tuesday morning at Rich Harvest Farms. The four quarterfinal winners will advance to semifinal matches in the afternoon, with those two winners moving on to Wednesday's final.
Sophomore Janet Mao had the strongest 54-hole performance for Northwestern, finishing tied for 13th place, utilizing a strong 73 in the opening round in dreary conditions to help her card 224 (+8). Senior Kacie Komoto was right on her coattails, finishing in 15th place after shooting a 9-over 225 (78-72-75).
Kim (T16), sophomore Stephanie Lau (T24), and junior Sarah Cho (T24) also finished in the Top-25 for Northwestern. No other team had more than two golfers inside the Top-25 after 54 holes.
The Wildcats were buoyed over the course of the tournament by their performance on par-fives, as they were one of only two teams to shoot under-par on those holes. NU was -10 over the course of the tournament on par-fives, and the next-closest team was Southern California at 1-under.
Last season, Northwestern earned a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, hosted at Eugene (OR) Country Club, the best result in program history. The Wildcats missed a Top-8 invitation to match play by just a single stroke. Fletcher and Miller return all five golfers from that lineup this year in Sugar Grove, one that was the youngest of any team at last season's event.
Northwestern – 1/24 • 301-298-298 = 897 (+33)
T13 – Janet MAO – 73-77-74=224 (+8)
15 – Kacie KOMOTO – 78-72-75=225 (+9)
T16 – Hannah KIM – 75-78-73=226 (+10)
T26 – Stephanie LAU – 75-74-80=229 (+13)
T26 – Sarah CHO – 78-75-76=229 (+9)
On To The Next ONE!#B1GCats win stroke play, nine strokes ahead of No. 2 Stanford. #BurnTheShips
— #B1GCats Golf (@NUGolf_Live) May 22, 2017
?? https://t.co/N2TWnn1WRm pic.twitter.com/nA6lnuy1Sz
RESULTS – 2017 NCAA Women's Golf Championship (Stroke Play)
PURCHASE TICKETS
This marks the first trip to the match play portion of the competition — now in its third year — for head coach Emily Fletcher, assistant Beth Miller and Northwestern, which is now guaranteed of its best NCAA Championships result in program history for the fifth-straight year. The 'Cats earned 15th-place results in 2013 and 2014, a 10th-place finish in 2015 and then a ninth-place standing last spring.
Head coach Emily Fletcher reflects on the #B1GCats earning the No.1 #NCAAGolf match play seed at Rich Harvest Farms. https://t.co/jnRmQ1uYsX
— #B1GCats Golf (@NUGolf_Live) May 23, 2017
Northwestern posted the best score in the 24-team field on Friday, and did so again on Sunday after weather wiped out Saturday's action. By the end of 54 holes, the Wildcats built an eighth-stroke gap over second-place Stanford, and finished 22 strokes above the cut line for entry into match play.
It's been a BEAUTIFUL day at Rich Harvest Farms for #NCAAGolf. #B1GCats | #BurnTheShips https://t.co/1IxaEgV1x8
— #B1GCats Golf (@NUGolf_Live) May 22, 2017
The 'Cats will tee off against Kent State beginning 7:50 a.m. CT Tuesday morning at Rich Harvest Farms. The four quarterfinal winners will advance to semifinal matches in the afternoon, with those two winners moving on to Wednesday's final.
Sophomore Janet Mao had the strongest 54-hole performance for Northwestern, finishing tied for 13th place, utilizing a strong 73 in the opening round in dreary conditions to help her card 224 (+8). Senior Kacie Komoto was right on her coattails, finishing in 15th place after shooting a 9-over 225 (78-72-75).
Kacie Komoto & Janet Mao meet the media following #NCAAGolf stroke play. Match play tomorrow! #B1GCats https://t.co/jmLrlDbZb5
— #B1GCats Golf (@NUGolf_Live) May 23, 2017
Kim (T16), sophomore Stephanie Lau (T24), and junior Sarah Cho (T24) also finished in the Top-25 for Northwestern. No other team had more than two golfers inside the Top-25 after 54 holes.
The Wildcats were buoyed over the course of the tournament by their performance on par-fives, as they were one of only two teams to shoot under-par on those holes. NU was -10 over the course of the tournament on par-fives, and the next-closest team was Southern California at 1-under.
Last season, Northwestern earned a ninth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, hosted at Eugene (OR) Country Club, the best result in program history. The Wildcats missed a Top-8 invitation to match play by just a single stroke. Fletcher and Miller return all five golfers from that lineup this year in Sugar Grove, one that was the youngest of any team at last season's event.
Northwestern – 1/24 • 301-298-298 = 897 (+33)
T13 – Janet MAO – 73-77-74=224 (+8)
15 – Kacie KOMOTO – 78-72-75=225 (+9)
T16 – Hannah KIM – 75-78-73=226 (+10)
T26 – Stephanie LAU – 75-74-80=229 (+13)
T26 – Sarah CHO – 78-75-76=229 (+9)
SO appreciative of all the #B1GCats support shown today at Rich Harvest Farms! #HomeGame#NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/GnBAf4LJl7
— #B1GCats Golf (@NUGolf_Live) May 22, 2017