Bears Improve At Second Round Of NCAA Regional

Sophomore Mika Jin shot 1-under par during the second round Tuesday.

WGOLF5/10/2022 2:31 PM | By: Cal Athletics

Sophomore Mika Jin Is One Of Only Six Golfers To Shoot Under Par

STILLWATER, Okla. – The Cal women’s golf team improved over its first round score by two shots and stands in a tie for ninth place heading into the final round of the NCAA Stillwater Regional at Karsten Creek Golf Course.

The Bears shot 22-over par as a team Tuesday and is at 46-over for the tournament, tied with Tulane. The top four teams advance to the NCAA Championships later this month in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Sophomore Mika Jin, playing her first career NCAA regional, was one of only six individuals to shoot under par Tuesday amid 20 mile per hour winds and temperatures in the low 90s. Jin shot a 1-under 71, one of just 12 under-par rounds for the entire regional so far.

“Mika had a great round,” McDaniel said. “When she missed a green, she was really tenacious when things didn’t go exactly as planned. She was ready to fight.”

Jin saved par on the par-4 16^th hole after missing the green with her ball backed up against some bushes. Jin, who is left-handed, used her putter to chip the ball right-handed and executed the putt to stay even.

Jin also birdied the final hole of the day to get under par and is tied for 24^th individually at 7-over par for the tournament.

“Mika was really in it until the end,” McDaniel said. “To shoot an under-par round on a course like this is really encouraging.”

Sophomore Cristina Ochoa had a solid round as well, carding a 2-over par 74 to also place tied for 24^th at 7-over. Junior Tzu-Yi Chang is tied for 33^rd at 11-over par for the tournament.

“I thought we had three people that were really in it,” McDaniel said. “(Chang) lost a couple shots coming down the stretch, but it didn’t feel like we were getting blown around. We were controlling what we can control.”

The Bears trail fourth-place Oklahoma State by 28 strokes, so realistically Wednesday likely will be the final round of the season. Four of Cal’s six golfers competing in Stillwater are returning next season, and the team is looking to take a positive feeling into the offseason.

“This is a building block,” McDaniel said. “I want to see our players play with courage and belief – believing in themselves and their…