Monday, May 20
Fayetteville, AR
All Day
USC
vs
NCAA Championships Final Round (Stroke Play)
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
Alyaa Abdulghany fired her tournament even 73 on Monday.
Photo by: Paul Goldberg
No. 1 USC Clinches Spot Into NCAA Championships Match Play
May 20, 2019 | Women's Golf, Features
Trojans still have one hole left to complete third round, but are locked into top 3 finish.
The No. 1 USC women's golf team is one hole short of completing Monday's third and final round of the 2019 NCAA Championships stroke play in Fayetteville, Arkansas, but is third overall and has clinched a spot into Tuesday's eight-team match play bracket that will determine the national champion.
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The Trojans' berth is their fifth in as many years since the NCAA moved to match play, one of only two schools to do so. But USC, a three-time national champion, has yet to advance past the semifinals.
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Troy will get a chance to do so beginning Tuesday after sophomore Amelia Garvey completes her 18th hole, the only Trojan who did not complete her round after a midday weather-delay burned an hour of action.
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She was 1-over through 17 holes and 2-over overall, tied for seventh. Should she finish in the spot, it would be USC's best finish since Doris Chen won the NCAA title in 2014. The morning tee times for Tuesday have yet to be determined.
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"Conditions were tough today and the wind was challenging," USC head coach Justin Silverstein said. "We hit some speed bumps but stayed composed. I'm proud of this team's effort and excited to see what we can do in match play."
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Sophomore Alyaa Abdulghany was first to finish today and posted USC's best round, finishing even with four birdies. She is tied for 27th at 8-over 227 (77-77-73). Freshman Malia Nam (77-72-78) is tied for 27th as well.
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"Our goal was to make match play and we did just that," Abdulghany said. "Staying patient on this course for stroke play was key and that's the plan for match play. It's a different game for match play but we're prepared and we're ready."
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Sophomore Gabriela Ruffels moved into the top 20, tied for 18th at 6-over 225 (81-70-74). She was 1-under through 9 but was 5-over on her first five holes on the back. She proceeded to birdie 15, 16 and 17 to finish 1-over today.
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Sophomore Jennifer Chang finished tied for 36th at 10-over 229 (78-74-77).
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All four of USC's sophomores played in last year's NCAA Championships, defeating Duke in the quarterfinals before falling to finalist Alabama.
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The Trojans' berth is their fifth in as many years since the NCAA moved to match play, one of only two schools to do so. But USC, a three-time national champion, has yet to advance past the semifinals.
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Troy will get a chance to do so beginning Tuesday after sophomore Amelia Garvey completes her 18th hole, the only Trojan who did not complete her round after a midday weather-delay burned an hour of action.
Â
She was 1-over through 17 holes and 2-over overall, tied for seventh. Should she finish in the spot, it would be USC's best finish since Doris Chen won the NCAA title in 2014. The morning tee times for Tuesday have yet to be determined.
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"Conditions were tough today and the wind was challenging," USC head coach Justin Silverstein said. "We hit some speed bumps but stayed composed. I'm proud of this team's effort and excited to see what we can do in match play."
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Sophomore Alyaa Abdulghany was first to finish today and posted USC's best round, finishing even with four birdies. She is tied for 27th at 8-over 227 (77-77-73). Freshman Malia Nam (77-72-78) is tied for 27th as well.
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"Our goal was to make match play and we did just that," Abdulghany said. "Staying patient on this course for stroke play was key and that's the plan for match play. It's a different game for match play but we're prepared and we're ready."
Â
Sophomore Gabriela Ruffels moved into the top 20, tied for 18th at 6-over 225 (81-70-74). She was 1-under through 9 but was 5-over on her first five holes on the back. She proceeded to birdie 15, 16 and 17 to finish 1-over today.
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Sophomore Jennifer Chang finished tied for 36th at 10-over 229 (78-74-77).
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All four of USC's sophomores played in last year's NCAA Championships, defeating Duke in the quarterfinals before falling to finalist Alabama.
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