SMU Women's Golf Dominates Regional, Heads to NCAA Finals

The SMU Mustangs women's golf team led their regional tournament from the first swing to the last, never backing down from their commanding position at Ridgewood Country Club in Waco, Texas.

Starting Wednesday's final round with an eight-stroke cushion, the Mustangs could have played it safe. Instead, they pushed forward and finished 17 under par, claiming the regional title and punching their ticket to the NCAA Championship in California. Their dominant performance left fourth-ranked Texas A&M six strokes behind and put seven ranked teams in their rearview mirror.

Head coach Lauren Mason couldn't hide her pride. Leading from the front and maintaining that position is one of golf's toughest mental challenges, but her team never flinched.

The numbers tell the story of just how special this week was. The Mustangs posted their ninth-lowest tournament score in program history and their best ever at an NCAA event. On Tuesday alone, they shot 11 under par, three strokes better than any other team that day.

Individual performances sparkled throughout the lineup. Freshman Kirra St-Laurent fired a stunning 64 on Tuesday, the fourth-lowest round in school history, and tied for third place overall at five under. Junior Celine Chen matched that third-place finish, going five under on her final 16 holes and racking up 13 birdies for the week.

Senior Emily Odwin secured her sixth top-ten finish of the season with a final round 69. Her season scoring average now sits at 71.47, fourth best in Mustang history. Junior Grace Jin and senior Mackenzie Lee both cracked the top 15, with Lee's performance improving her career scoring average to 71.48, the best in SMU history.

The Ripple Effect

This marks SMU's second regional championship and their third trip to the NCAA Championship in four seasons. The program's consistent excellence is building something special, creating a culture where young players like St-Laurent can shine on the biggest stages while veterans like Lee cement their legacies.

The timing couldn't be better. This was the team's first win of the season, and it came when the stakes were highest. That kind of clutch performance ripples beyond one tournament, building the confidence that transforms good teams into championship contenders.

The Mustangs tee off May 22 at Omni La Costa in Carlsbad, California, ready to compete against the nation's 30 best teams with momentum on their side and their best golf still ahead of them.