9PM UPDATE: Northwestern Makes Final Four, Semi-Finals TBD
(CREDIT: Golf Channel)
(CREDIT: Golf Channel)
Northwestern made the NCAA women’s golf Final Four, but the semifinals and finals will be decided tomorrow (Wednesday, May 24) as Stanford leads Arizona State and Southern Cal leads the Wildcats.
The NCAA Women’s Golf Championship was halted because of darkness Tuesday, but there’s still some work to do to decide the final two teams in match play at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove.
Stanford was on the precipice of advancing to its third straight team final when play was suspended at 8:04 p.m. CT. The Cardinal hold a 2-1 lead over Arizona State among the completed matches and lead in another still on the course, as Albane Valenzuela clings to a 1-up lead on individual champ Monica Vaughn with both players in the 18th fairway.
In order to advance, Arizona State would need to flip that match and also win the anchor match, where Linnea Strom is all square with Stanford’s Madeline Chou through 16 holes.
USC leads in four of five matches against Northwestern, but none were completed when play was suspended. Three of those advantages are only 1-up, though, with the outlier being Muni He’s 2-up lead over Kacie Komoto through 13 holes. The only match in which Northwestern is ahead is the lead match, where Sarah Cho is 1-up on Victoria Morgan with three holes to play.
Weather has been a factor all week at Rich Harvest Farms Golf Club in Sugar Grove, and play was halted for more than two hours during the afternoon matches amid a deluge of rain.
Play will resume at 9 a.m. CT Wednesday, with a national champion ultimately crowned in the afternoon.
Quarterfinals: Northwestern Makes NCAA Golf Final Four
Northwestern narrowly defeated eighth-seeded Kent State 3-2 to advance to the match play semifinals Tuesday (May 23, 2017) in the Division I NCAA women’s golf championships at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove.
Stanford defeated Baylor and Southern Cal defeated Ohio State to make the NCAA women’s golf Final Four.
Quarterfinal Matches Results
- Arizona State defeated Florida 5-0
- Stanford defeated Baylor 3-2
- Northwestern defeated Kent State 3-2
- Southern California defeated Ohio State 3-1-1
Semifinal Matches
- Stanford vs. Arizona State
- Northwestern vs. Southern California
On Northwestern defeating Kent State 3-2
(CREDIT: Northwestern University Instagram)
Northwestern’s Hannah Kim speaking with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum after her match
- Hannah Kim – “Definitely birding the ninth hole and coming to the 10th and 11th, I was really motivated. That kick started the birdie run for me.”
Northwestern’s Kacie Komoto speaking with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum after her match
- Kacie Komoto – “I had no idea where the team stood when I was out there. I just knew I wanted to win my match. I just have to go out there and play my game and do the best that I can.”
- Komoto – “I see this as an opportunity because we are a cold weather school. We don’t normally get to play near home so people can’t come out and watch. For nationals to be close to home and for people to come out and support, it means the world to us.”
Northwestern Head Coach Emily Fletcher speaking with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum after the quarterfinal matches
- Emily Fletcher – “I think it is just a credit to the hard work and determination of our kids. We had a little heartbreak the last couple of years knowing that we didn’t play our best coming down the stretch. To see our kids pull through today and not only get here and play in the fashion that we did in the stroke play portion, but to get that first win this morning was really spectacular. I’m really excited for them. This group has worked so hard.”
- Fletcher – “We have played match play quite a bit throughout the year. We have talked about match play strategy during the year. We called in Coach (Pat) Fitzgerald [Northwestern Head Football Coach] for a little facetime and a little Luke Donald video this morning for inspiration.”
On Arizona State defeating Florida 5-0
- Kay Cockerill – “She [Monica Vaughn] is such a strong player. She has fought back valiantly, just like she fought back to win the individual title on Monday.”
- Karen Stupples – “Her [Monica Vaughn] focus this whole week has been about the team play. The individual was almost secondary to her.”
- Cockerill – “She [Monica Vaughn] is a senior and she has been a big part of this program for the past four years. To go out in style individually is one thing, but she wants to get the team championship.”
- Bob Papa – “They were dominant in this quarterfinal action today.”
Arizona State’s Monica Vaughn and Head Coach Missy Farr-Kaye:
- Monica Vaughn – “I didn’t get very much sleep last night. I was 2-down through three holes to start and it just came to me like, ‘You are playing the golf course, not this player,’ because pars out here are going to win every time. That is all I did. I tried to play the golf course and make as many pars as I could. Threw a couple of birdies in here and that just kept me going.”
- Missy Farr-Kaye – “We have been talking about being all in. Let’s just go out there and fight to the finish. From the first shot until the finish and give it our best shot. We are just trying to enjoy ourselves, taking it one shot and one hole at a time and see what happens.”
On Stanford defeating Baylor 3-2
- Steve Burkowski – “Something special about what Anne Walker has created at Stanford. This is the seventh match in NCAA for the women in championships history since they have gone to match play. The Stanford Cardinal has played in each and every session.”
- Stupples – “The seniors can pass along their match play knowledge to the younger players coming through. You have a whole wealth of expertise in Stanford. Players that have played well in match play before them and from Coach Anne Walker.”
Stanford’s Casey Danielson speaking with Golf Channel’s Gail Graham after her match
- Casey Danielson – “I gave myself a fresh start [on the back nine]. It’s a new nine. I told the crowd to start cheering louder. I needed to get some energy going.”
Stanford’s Albane Valenzeula speaking with Golf Channel’s Curt Byrum after her match
- Albane Valenzuela – “It was a tough match. Dylan played great golf. I know I needed to make a lot of pars and a couple of birdies out there. With the rain it was hard for everyone. I knew if I stayed patient and played my game I could win a point, so I just stayed very patient.”
On Southern California defeating Ohio State 3-1-1
- Burkowski – “Southern Cal fights on to the semifinals. Tiffany Chan securing their trip.”
- Burkowski – “A very competitive match between Southern Cal and Ohio State.”
