USC Women Advance At NCAA Championships

Sports Department

Sarah Schmeizel Womens GolfEUGENE, Ore. (USC SID) — South Carolina advanced to the fourth round of the NCAA Championship after posting another solid round at Eugene Country Club on Sunday. The No. 18 Gamecocks, who currently sit in seventh place with a 54-hole total of 872 (+8), shot a 290 (+2) on day three to secure a spot in the final round of stroke play at the tournament.

 

Fifteen teams made the first cut, and the field will be narrowed down to eight schools following the conclusion of round four. The eight teams will advance to the event’s match-play portion, set for Tuesday and Wednesday. There will be a playoff following the final round of stroke play if needed to decide the eight teams that will move on. If time does not permit for a playoff, a tie-breaking procedure will be used.

 

Virginia and Arizona are currently one stroke behind South Carolina in a tie for eighth, while Northwestern and Oklahoma State are the next closest schools near Monday’s cut line. They both sit at 12-over (876) for the tournament in a tie for 10th. Southern California (860, -4) maintained its lead on Sunday, while UCLA and Duke are both tied for second at 2-under (862) for the week. The Blue Devils’ Virginia Elena Carta holds the individual lead (203, -13) following her 66 (-6) in round three.

 

Katelyn Dambaugh (T10) broke par for the second time this week on Sunday, posting a round of 71 (-1) after closing with birdies on two of her last three holes. The junior, who sits at 3-under (213) for the tournament, carded a front-nine 35 (E) and shot par or better on eight of her final nine holes. She finished with three birdies.

 

Senior Sarah Schmelzel continued her steady play in Oregon, as she registered 14 pars in round three on the way to a 72 (E). The Phoenix, Ariz., native notched two birdies on her day, both of which came on her front nine. Schmelzel sits in a tie for 27th place with a three-round total of 218 (+3).

 

Sophomore Ainhoa Olarra (217, +2) and freshman Marion Veysseyre (231, +15) marked the other two Gamecocks to card at least three birdies on Sunday. Olarra (T24) made the turn at 2-over 37 before recovering with three birdies in a four-hole stretch. Her first back-nine birdie came on the par-4 second, and she followed that up with back-to-back birdies on No. 4 and 5. The San Sebastian, Spain, native finished round three with a 73 (+1).

 

Veysseyre (T113) posted the best round of her week, totaling a 74 (+2). She opened with birdies on two of her first four holes and ended her day with a team-high four birdies. Freshman Isidora Nilsson (231, +15), one of three Gamecocks making their NCAA Championship debut this week, fired a 9-over 81 on Sunday. She also will head into Monday in a tie for 113th.

 

SOUTH CAROLINA RESULTS

T10. Katelyn Dambaugh 69-73-71=213 (-3)

T24. Ainhoa Olarra 73-71-73=217 (+1)

T27. Sarah Schmelzel 75-71-72=218 (+2)

T113. Isidora Nilsson 76-74-81=231 (+15)

T113. Marion Veysseyre 78-79-74=231 (+15)

 

TEAM STANDINGS

  1. Southern California 289-280-291=860 (-4)

T2. UCLA 286-291-285=862 (-2)

T2. Duke 299-283-280=862 (-2)

  1. Washington 289-285-292=866 (+2)
  2. Stanford 295-283-290=868 (+4)
  3. Oregon 297-282-291=870 (+6)
  4. South Carolina 293-289-290=872 (+8)

T8. Virginia 293-294-286=873 (+9)

T8. Arizona 291-289-293=873 (+9)

T10. Northwestern 292-289-295=876 (+12)

T10. Oklahoma State 284-295-297=876 (+12)

T12. Arkansas 292-291-298=881 (+17)

T12. North Carolina 298-292-291=881 (+17)

  1. Alabama 300-292-290=882 (+18)
  2. Florida State 295-290-298=883 (+19)
  3. Tennessee 297-285-303=885 (+21)
  4. Florida 297-293-296=886 (+22)

T18. Michigan 296-299-292=887 (+23)

T18. Georgia 298-291-298=887 (+23)

  1. Furman 298-297-293=888 (+24)
  2. Miami 299-292-299=890 (+26)
  3. Ohio State 293-293-306=892 (+28)
  4. Texas 301-290-306=897 (+33)
  5. Brigham Young 294-306-298=898 (+34)

 

QUOTING HEAD COACH KALEN ANDERSON

“Again they were really tough. It was a little bit of a rollercoaster all day, but again it was a really strong finish. It’s a marathon of golf, so you can’t be beating yourself up out there. They’ve done a tremendous job, and I couldn’t be prouder.”

 

ROUND CHANGER

All three of Ainhoa Olarra’s birdies on Sunday came during a four-hole stretch on the sophomore’s back nine. She played her final nine holes at 1-under and finished her round with three-straight pars.

 

NOTABLES

  • Junior Katelyn Dambaugh, who ranks second in par-4 scoring (3.90) this week, has shot par or better in eight of South Carolina’s nine postseason rounds.
  • South Carolina is one of three SEC schools to make the first cut at the NCAA Championship. Alabama and Arkansas will also be in action on Monday.
  • The Gamecocks lead the field in Oregon with 178 pars. Sophomore Ainhoa Olarra is second individually in the category with 42 pars.
  • South Carolina hold the third-best par-5 scoring average (4.83) through three rounds of the tournament.

 

UP NEXT

The Gamecocks are back on the course for the final round of stroke play at the NCAA Championship on Monday. South Carolina, which will tee off at 1:30 p.m. PT, will be paired with Virginia and Arizona. Golf Channel will provide live coverage of the action from 7-10 p.m. ET.

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