No. 15 USC Women's Golf Eyeing Pac-12 Championships

The No. 15 USC women's golf team, with one win during the fall season and a recent streak of three straight top 3 spring results, is set for the 2023 Pac-12 Women's Golf Championships, Monday through Wednesday (April 17-19), at Papago G.C. in Phoenix, Ariz.

Pac-12 Championships Information
Tee times at the par-72, 6,563-yard course will start at 8 a.m. PT on Monday and Tuesday and run through 10:20 a.m. The Trojans begin play at 8 a.m. both days. Tee times for the final round Wednesday start at 7:30 a.m.

Results will be available at golfstat.com.

The Pac-12, arguably the toughest conference in the country, features four teams in the Golfweek.com Top 15 in No. 2 Stanford, No. 6 Oregon, No. 11 Arizona State and No. 15 USC plus UCLA at No. 25 and Arizona at No. 27.

USC will start senior Malia Nam, junior Brianna Navarrosa, sophomores Amari Avery and Brianna Navarrosa and freshman Catherine Park. Junior Christine Wang will serve as an available substitute.

Nam played on the Trojans' 2019 and 2021 Pac-12 title teams while Navarrosa was on the 2021 squad. Avery led USC golfers in 2022 with a tie for fifth.

TV & Streaming Info Following each round, the Pac-12 will feature highlights on Pac-12 Network, the Pac-12 Now app, Pac-12.com and Pac-12 social media platforms. Pac-12 Network will also air a "Women's Golf Championship Show" on April 20 at 7 p.m. PT.

USC'S PAC-12 CHAMPIONSHIPS HISTORY
* USC, which captured the 2021 Pac-12 title and was fifth in 2022, has won eight conference titles overall and in six of the past 15 years (2008, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2019, 2021). In fact, USC has finished in the top 3 in 13 of the past 17 Pac-12 Championships, including finishing second in 2012, tied for second in 2014, both by one stroke, and in second in 2018. Overall, USC has collected Pac-12 crowns in 1989, 2008, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2021 (there was no championship in 2020 due to Covid) and won the Pacific West Conference title in 1986 (the last year before it became the Pac-10).

* The Trojans have also won six Pac-12 individual titles, including a streak that saw three straight freshmen win it. Annie Park won it as a 2013 freshman at 7-under 209 (70-70-69) to become USC's sixth conference medalist. Doris Chen won it as a freshman in 2012, taking first at 1-over 217 (77-72-68) while Sophia Popov claimed her title in a one-hole playoff as a 2011 freshman after finishing regulation at 6-under 210 (69-71-70).

* USC defended its 2019 Pac-12 title two years later with a brilliant 54-hole effort, completing a wire-to-wire performance as it did two years before, to capture the 2021 Pac-12 Women's Golf Championship by five strokes at the Stanford G.C. The Trojans played a steady three days of golf to win at 3-under 849 (283-287-279) while withstanding a furious rally from host Stanford and pressure from other Pac-12 rivals. The win marked USC's seventh Pac-12 title and eighth in conference history. USC did it thanks to a group effort highlighted by senior Amelia Garvey and then-junior Malia Nam. Garvey, in her first Pac-12s since her freshman season, posted her collegiate-best finish, taking second at 5-under 208 (67-72-69), while Nam tied for third at 4-under 209 (68-72-69). Senior Alyaa Abdulghany was 12th at 4-over 217 (73-74-70), senior Allisen Corpuz tied for 15th at 7-over 220 (75-74-71) and then-freshman Brianna Navarrosa tied for 20th at 9-over 222 (80-69-73).

* The Trojans, as the 2019 Pac-12 Championship hosts, completed a dominating wire-to-wire performance that saw four players finish in the top 7, winning by 11 strokes at the Palos Verdes G.C. USC won at 1-under 851 (283-286-282) for its first Pac-12 win since 2016 and duplicating its 2008 effort when the Trojans also won the conference trophy while hosting at the same course. Sophomore Gabriela Ruffels led USC's quartet of top 7 finishers at 3-under 210 (70-72-68), closing with her best round since Nov. 6 to finish one shot out of first in third. Junior Allisen Corpuz took fifth, sophomore Jennifer Chang was sixth with sophomore Alyaa Abdulghany seventh.

* The Trojans claimed the 2016 team title at 18-under 846 (278-275-293), a Pac-12 record for lowest three-round total and most under par. USC won by three strokes after leading by 13 through the second round. USC's second round 275 was its lowest ever at a conference championship and tied for sixth lowest ever. Then-junior Gabriella Then led Troy with a tie for third at 8-under 208 (70-65-73), her second round tying USC's record for lowest round at Pac-12s. USC won the team title in 2013, running away with a 24-stroke win behind Park's victory and Popov's second-place finish at 5-under 211. Chen and Rachel Morris also finished in the top 10.

* In 2011, USC posted a five-stroke win while then-freshman Popov won the individual title in a one-hole playoff. USC played the final round with only four players after Lisa McCloskey suffered a rib injury, yet the shorthanded Trojans had enough for the win. Popov's string of birdies (when she knocked in five of seven between 7 and 13) helped her secure her seventh straight top 7 finish.

* In 2008, USC posted a dominating 26-stroke win. Serving as host school, USC combined for an 8-over 860 (285-292-283) to win during a windy three-day event. Troy was led by senior Paola Moreno, who won USC's third individual championship with a 1-under 212 (70-75-67), the Trojans' best ever 54-hole total at a conference championship at the time. She led five Trojan golfers who all finished in the top 8. Moreno joined USC's previous two individual Pac-10 title winners Candie Kung (2000) and Jennifer Biehn (1994).

* In addition to USC's eight team titles, Troy has finished second or third 11 other times, including in 2009, when the Trojans finished second when then-freshman Jennifer Song tied for first before falling in a playoff. Song went 5-under during the final seven holes of the Pac-10 Championships to get into a three-way playoff with Arizona's State's Carlotta Ciganda and Jennifer Osborn (Osborn won it on the first hole).

* Lizette Salas, as a sophomore in 2009, set the USC school and Pac-12 record for low round at the Pac-12 Championships with a final-round 65, tied by Trojan Gabriella Then in 2016 (and two other Pac-12 players). Then's round came at 7-under, tied for most under par in a Pac-12 Championship round in conference history. Popov came close with a first-round 66 in 2013. Moreno (2008) and Anna Rawson (2001) were the previous USC record holders at 67.

SPRING RESULTS
USC opened spring play with the debut of the Battle for the Bell, a two-round match-play event between the Trojans and their crosstown rivals, UCLA. The Bruins got the better of the event, winning 8.5-3.5. Freshman Catherine Park posted a 2up win in the first day of action at Sherwood C.C. while sophomore Amari Avery halved her match. In the second day at Rolling Hills C.C., Avery won her match, 5&4, while senior Malia Nam won hers, 4&3.

Troy followed it with a solid tie for third at the Therese Hession Regional Challenge, led by Xin (Cindy) Kou's season-best tie for fifth at par 213 (72-68-73) while Avery tied for 12th at 2-over 215 (73-73-69).

USC next took third at the ICON Invitational, led again by Kou, who tied for sixth at 10-under 206 (65-70-71) for her third top 7 this season. Senior Malia Nam, meanwhile, tied for 14th at 5-under 211 (69-73-69). Her 5-under was her most under par since her USC debut as a 2018 fall freshman when she was second at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate at 12-under 204.

USC posted another top 3 finish, taking second at the Juli Inkster at Meadow Club Invitational at 1-under, led by Amari Avery, who tied for third at 1-under 215 (72-70-73) for her second top 3 this season and her third top 7. Freshman Catherine Park's tie for sixth at par 216 (71-70-75) marked her highest finish this season and her fourth top 17.

The Trojans most recently were 10th at the PING/ASU Invitational, Christine Wang and Park tying for 30th.

FALL HIGHLIGHTS
After a tough season-opener, USC came roaring back in its second event of the fall season, winning the Windy City Collegiate Classic on Oct. 4 by nine strokes while sophomore Amari Avery won her fourth career individual title by a stroke. It marked both USC's third team and individual wins at the event. Avery won at 6-under 210 (67-69-74). Fellow sophomore Xin (Cindy) Kou tied for seventh at 3-over 219 (72-75-72).

THE TROJANS IN THE RANKINGS
Amari Avery is the No. 36-ranked golfer in the NCAA per golfweek.com while Xin (Cindy) Kou is No. 45, Catherine Park is No. 97 and Brianna Navarrosa is No. 124. Malia Nam is No. 217 and Christine Wang is No. 257.

TROJAN NOTES
* Amari Avery's win at the Windy City gives her four for her career, tied for fifth on USC's career chart. She has three top 7 finishes, six top 14s and seven top 23 results to start her sophomore year.
* Avery has a team-best seven rounds in the 60s this season, giving her 17 career rounds in the 60s, fourth on USC's career chart, five off the school record.
* Avery leads USC with a stroke average of 71.93 (currently 10th-best on USC's all-time season list) and also boasts team bests in rounds under par (10) and is tie for first in rounds of par or better (13).
* Avery recently made her third career appearance at the Augusta National Women's Amateur. She made the cut for the second year in a row to earn a final round at Augusta National, where she tied for 29th at 8-over, which included a 1-under 71 second round at Champions Retreat.
* Xin (Cindy) Kou's tie for fifth at the Regional Challenge, her tie for sixth at the ICON Invitational and her tie for seventh at the Windy City Collegiate marks eight career top 10s in her young career and gives her four top 17s this season. She has been inside the top 25 in six of her eight events.
* Kou is second on the Trojans with a stroke average of 72.54, which includes 13 rounds of par or better (tied for first on the team), including six under par. She has three rounds under 70, including a career-best 65 in the ICON Invitational first round, giving her 10 for her career.
* She played at the 2023 Women's Amateur Asia Pacific in early March in Singapore, tying for 20th at 2-over.w
* Brianna Navarrosa's tie for third at 5-under 211 (69-70-72) at the Stephens Cup was her second top 3 finish in a five-start stretch.
* Navarrosa had four top 19 finishes this fall and has 10 top 22s in her last 15 events. She is third on the team with 12 rounds of par or better and she has 7 rounds under par, second-best on the team.
* Senior Malia Nam turned in a season-best tie for 14th at the ICON Invitational (in full team competition) at 5-under par 211 with a pair of 69s, her best finish since the 2021 Pac-12 Championships. She also tied for seventh at the Valley Invitational in which she was USC's lone entry.
* Her pair of 69s this season gives her 13 career rounds in the 60s, tied for ninth on USC's career chart.
* Junior Christine Wang has a trio of ties for 24th, first at the Windy City and again at the Regional Challenge and the Juli Inkster Invitational. Her 1-under 70 at Palos Verdes was a then-career best and bettered her season-best 71 at the Stephens Cup. She then lowered it to 68 in the second round of the ICON Invitational, where she finished a career-best even for the tournament. At the Juli Inkster, she lowered her career best again to a 66.
* She has six rounds of par or better in her last 13 and nine overall.
* Freshman Catherine Park has six top 25 results this fall, including a season-best tie for second at the Silverado Showdown at 2-under and a tie for sixth at the Juli Inkster Invitational at even par. She also has a pair of ties for 12th at the Windy City and at the Regional Challenge. Her play in Chicago featured a then-season-best final-round 70 while she closed with a 71 in Palos Verdes. She also tied for 17th at the Nanea Pac-12 Preview at 2-over.

TROJAN OVERVIEW
USC returns seven golfers from last year's team that posted a trio of wins, captured the 2022 NCAA Stanford Regional and finished 10th at the NCAA Championships, just outside of match play.

Avery returns following her All-American first-team debut as a 2021-22 freshman — which saw her win three times — while Nam, also an All-American as a freshman, is back after missing last season due to injury. Kou was Pac-12 honorable mention last year and started all 13 events, as did the ever-improving Navarrosa, while Park will make her debut in Cardinal and Gold.

USC saw just one departure from last season as fifth-year senior and All-Pac-12 honorable mention pick Katherine Muzi transferred for her final season to South Carolina.

TROJAN FLASH CARDS ENTERING 2022-23
Avery was a finalist for the 2022 ANNIKA Award as well as the WGCA Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year honor and managed all of that despite joining the Trojans as a spring semester freshman. Collegiately, Avery posted three wins (including at NCAA Regionals), a tie for second, a tie for fifth, a tie for sixth and a tie for eighth among her first eight stroke-play starts.

Avery, who tied for fourth at the Augusta National Women's Amateur, finished with seven top 10 finishes (all in the top 8) in nine
stroke play events, tied for sixth on USC's all-time season list.

Avery represented the U.S. at the 2022 Curtis Cup and Arnold Palmer Cup.

Avery won her fourth career event at the 2022 Windy City Collegiate Classic. That total is now tie for 5th on USC's career tournament wins list. She now has 12 career rounds in the 60s in less than a full season of collegiate golf, tied for ninth on USC's career chart.

Junior Brianna Navarrosa was a 2022 U.S. Amateur quarterfinalist. She finished second on the Trojans in stroke average (73.63) after starting all 13 events. She had six top 16 finishes and nine in the top 24 to go with 11 top 20s for her career. She led USC at the NCAA Championships, tying for 21st.

Sophomore Xin (Cindy) Kou is USC's other returner who started all 13 events last year. She was just the third Trojan freshman in over 20 years to record four straight top 15s to start the season.

Kou finished with four top 5 finishes, five top 10s and six top 15 results. Her 13-under at the Icon Invitational last year is tied for the third-best total in school history.

Junior Michael Morard came on strong last spring and finished with three top 11s, highlighted by a tie for eighth at The Gold Rush and a tie for 11th at the Icon Invitational. She had 11 rounds of par or better.

Injured last season, graduate senior Malia Nam looks to return to the form this year that made her the 2019 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and a 2019 All-American.

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Players Mentioned

Amari Avery

Xin (Cindy) Kou

Katherine Muzi

Malia Nam

Brianna Navarrosa

Catherine Park

Christine Wang