SMU Golf Opens NCAA Championship in Top Eight

SMU women’s golf didn’t blink on the biggest stage.

The Mustangs opened the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship at Omni La Costa Resort with an even-par first round, putting themselves in a tie for eighth place alongside Texas and LSU.

READ MORE: SMU Volleyball Adds European Power Arm

In a 30-team field stacked with the nation’s best, SMU did exactly what it needed to do: stay inside the match play conversation.

That matters because only the top eight teams after four rounds advance to the quarterfinals. There’s also a cut to 15 teams after Round 3, so every shot already feels heavy.

Freshman Kirra St-Laurent set the tone for SMU with a sharp 1-under 71, making just one bogey all day.

She sits tied for 24th individually in the 156-player field and lowered her season scoring average to 73.38, the third-best mark ever by a Mustang freshman.

That’s a pretty loud debut under championship pressure.

Celine Chen and Mackenzie Lee both delivered even-par rounds to sit tied for 41st. Chen came out firing, getting to 3-under through six holes after an eagle on No. 6 and posting a 33 on the front nine.

Lee finished strong, birdieing her final hole to get back to even. Her career scoring average of 71.48 remains the best in SMU history.

Emily Odwin added a 1-over 73 and also eagled the par-5 sixth, while Grace Jin carded a 74.

READ MORE: SMU Lands Colombian Freestyle and Butterfly Specialist

Southern California leads the field at 7-under, with Stanford one shot back and Oklahoma State at 5-under. But SMU is right where it wants to be.

The Mustangs return Saturday with a legitimate shot to keep climbing — and maybe turn an already special season into something historic.

Join Our Roundtable Community For Free!

Share your takes, connect with our Roundtable writers, and talk sports with fellow fans. Download the free Roundtable App today and stay closer to the conversation.