CARLSBAD, Calif. — For the fourth consecutive season, Vanderbilt women’s golf will compete in the NCAA Championship as the Commodores tee off Friday at Omni La Costa Resort.
The Dores are the 19th seed entering the weekend at the 6,330-yard, par-72 North Course. Vanderbilt will tee off at the first hole at 6:52 a.m. PT/8:52 a.m. CT in Friday’s opening round. In Saturday’s second round, the Dores will play in the afternoon flight beginning at 12:12 p.m. PT from hole No. 10. Vanderbilt will play alongside Oklahoma State and Kansas State in each of the first two rounds.
“It feels really good to be back at La Costa,” head coach Greg Allen said. “It’s nice that four of our five girls played here last year so we are definitely a little more familiar with the course. After a year of growing in, it seems as if the greens are softer, which is a good thing and will hopefully benefit us.
“Just like regionals, we will need a total team effort each day and to come out ready to play. Our focus the next three days will be trying to execute our game plan and put ourselves in position to make it to Monday. If we can do that, then match play is possible – but again, we need to take it one shot at a time. The girls seem to be in a good place, have the right mindset and are ready to go.”
Vanderbilt’s lineup features the same five Commodores from regionals, as juniors Tillie Claggett and Lynn Lim, sophomores Sara Im and Ava Merrill, and freshman Angelina Tolentino are set to take on La Costa. Freshman Claire Henson will serve as the Commodores’ alternate for the championship. Four of Vandy’s five in the lineup competed for the Dores in last season’s NCAA Championship on the North Course. Vanderbilt finished 20th in 2023-24, marking the best finish in a decade for the black and gold.
The NCAA Championship consists of 30 teams competing in the first three rounds of stroke play. Following Sunday’s third round, the top 15 teams advance to a fourth round of stroke play on Monday for the chance to reach match play. The top eight teams following Monday will battle for the title in match play on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Live scoring for the NCAA Championship is available on SCOREBOARD. The Golf Channel will broadcast the championship beginning with Monday’s fourth round.
