SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—For the second consecutive year, the individual leaderboard at the NCAA Women's Golf Championships shows a Spartan near the top as San José State sophomore Lucia Lopez Ortega shot a 1-under 71 on Monday to earn an NCAA runner-up finish at the Grayhawk Golf Club.
Hear from Lucia Lopez Ortega on @GolfChannel after her round of 71 to finish tied for 2nd at the NCAA Championships.#AllSpartans pic.twitter.com/4HUs6sar0V
— San Jose State Women's Golf (@SanJoseStWGOLF) May 23, 2023
- Lopez Ortega finished her four rounds at 9-under 279, tying for second with Catherine Park of Southern California.
- Lopez Ortega played the backside of the course first, starting the day on 10. She was 1-over through her first four holes before making birdies on 14 and 18 for a 1-under 35 over her first nine holes.
- She had a chance for eagle on 18 as she reached the green in two shots for the fourth consecutive round.
- She then made four pars on holes 1-4, a birdie and a par to go to 2-under through 15 holes.
- Misfortune found her the next two holes with back-to-back bogeys before making a great 30-foot putt for birdie on nine to end her day at 1-under 71.
- Lopez Ortega is the second consecutive Spartan to finish second in the individual standings after Natasha Andrea Oon was second at the 2022 championship.
Here's the final birdie putt to give Lucia Lopez Ortega a 71 on the day and help her tie for 2nd individually at the NCAA Championships. @GolfChannel #AllSpartans pic.twitter.com/4XJqCEWTj8
— San Jose State Women's Golf (@SanJoseStWGOLF) May 23, 2023
- Kajsa Arwefjäll shot a 2-over 74 on Monday and finished tied for 18th at 2-under 286, her best finish at the NCAA Championships in three tries. She made birdies on par-5 holes 7 and 18.
- She is the only Spartan to play four rounds at the NCAA Championships each of the past three seasons.
- Arwefjäll played as an individual at the 2021 championship and advanced to the fourth round in a playoff that year. She finished tied for 36th that year.
- Last year, she helped the Spartans advance to match play and tied for 27th in the individual standings.
We hope these bring a ??to your face!
— San Jose State Women's Golf (@SanJoseStWGOLF) May 23, 2023
Great job by these 2?!#AllSpartans | #SpartanPride pic.twitter.com/xC815cME6j
NCAA Championships
Grayhawk Golf Club
Par 72, 6,368 yards
Individual Standings
1. Rose Zhang, Stanford 72-67-71-68-278 -10
T2. Lucia Lopez Ortega 68-69-71-71-279 -9
T2. Catherine Park, Southern Cal. 71-64-71-73-279 -9
T18. Kajsa Arwefjäll 71-68-73-74-286 -2
#AllSpartans