SMU women’s golf captured the NCAA Waco Regional title at 17-under, beating Texas A&M by six shots to earn a trip to La Costa.
SMU women’s golf is headed back to the NCAA Championship, and the Mustangs are bringing serious momentum with them.
SMU won the NCAA Waco Regional championship on Wednesday at Ridgewood Country Club, finishing 17-under par and holding off No. 4 Texas A&M by six strokes.
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The Mustangs entered the final round with an eight-shot cushion and didn’t blink, closing with a 3-over team round to claim the program’s second NCAA regional title.
“I’m incredibly proud of the way this team continues to represent our program,” fifth-year head coach Lauren Mason said.
“They led from the beginning and never let up, which is one of the hardest things to do in championship golf.”
The victory sends SMU to the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, beginning May 22.
It’ll be the Mustangs’ third NCAA Championship appearance in the last four seasons, another sign that this program has become a postseason factor.
SMU didn’t just advance. It beat a loaded field, finishing ahead of seven ranked teams. Baylor was third at even par, LSU finished fourth at 1-over, while Tennessee and Tulsa tied for fifth at 7-over to grab the final qualifying spots.
Oregon, TCU, Colorado, Tarleton State, Prairie View A&M and Northern Arizona were left chasing.
Mason also credited the preparation behind the performance.
“(Associate Head Coach) Carly’s (Ludwig) experienced game plan, preparation and strategy was a huge contributing factor in our dominant performance this week,” Mason said.
Kirra St-Laurent and Celine Chen carried the top of the SMU lineup, tying for third at 5-under.
St-Laurent’s week included a dazzling second-round 64, the fourth-lowest round in program history. Chen closed with a 3-under 69, playing her final 16 holes at 5-under and making 13 birdies across the tournament.
Emily Odwin tied for 10th at 2-under after a final-round 69, her sixth top-10 finish of the season. Grace Jin finished 12th at 1-under, and Mackenzie Lee tied for 13th at even par, posting the 34th top-20 finish of her career.
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“Getting our first win of the season at this point in the year gives us great momentum, but I still believe our best golf is ahead of us,” Mason said.
“We’re continuing to grow every week, and there’s another level this team can reach. Now the focus shifts to La Costa. We’re excited for the opportunity to continue our postseason run and compete against the best teams in the country. This group has earned that opportunity, and we’re looking forward to what’s to come.”
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