The SMU Mustangs launch spring against top-ranked rivals, aiming to prove their championship mettle in a challenging, historic tournament.
SMU women’s golf is wasting no time diving into elite competition as the Mustangs open their spring season at the Therese Hession Regional Challenge, held Feb. 1-3 at Palos Verdes Golf Club in Southern California.
Hosted by Ohio State, the event brings together one of the strongest fields of the season and serves as an early measuring stick for a program with postseason expectations.
The tournament features 16 teams, all ranked inside the national top 100, with 12 coming from the top 50. That group includes traditional powers and rising contenders such as Arizona State, UCLA, Texas, Texas A&M, USC, Florida, and South Carolina, placing the SMU Mustangs squarely in a championship-caliber environment right out of the gate.
For SMU, this event carries added meaning. Therese Hession, the tournament’s namesake, was a member of the Mustangs’ 1979 national championship team before going on to a distinguished coaching career at Ohio State. Competing in an event tied to program history feels fitting for a team trying to build on recent success.
Under fifth-year head coach Lauren Mason, SMU enters the spring ranked No. 27 in Golfweek’s preseason poll and No. 31 by Scoreboard.
Continuity is a major strength. The Mustangs return nearly all of their scoring production from last season, including the vast majority of rounds at par or better and birdies made. That experience helped fuel a third straight trip to an NCAA Regional last year.
The lineup is anchored by one of the most accomplished senior classes in program history. Mackenzie Lee leads the way with a school-record career scoring average of 71.50 and eight SMU records to her name.
She’s joined by Emily Odwin, whose 72.28 career average ranks second all-time at SMU and whose resume includes historic appearances on the global stage, including the U.S. Women’s Open and LPGA Q-Series.
Celine Chen owns one of the best career scoring marks in program history, while newcomers like Kirra St-Laurent add intrigue as the spring slate begins. Several Mustangs are also ranked inside the World Amateur Golf Rankings, reinforcing SMU’s growing national profile.
With a loaded field, a historic venue, and postseason ambitions already in view, the Therese Hession Regional Challenge offers SMU women’s golf the perfect stage to announce itself as a contender once again.