Kayla Smith, Megan Streicher and Crista Izuzquiza all shot in the 60s to lead the University of North Carolina women’s golf team to its lowest round in school history Sunday on the final day of the MountainView Collegiate at the MountainView Golf Club in Tucson, Ariz.
UNC shot 12-under-par 276, the lowest total team score and the most strokes below par in a round in Tar Heel history (previous bests were 10-under 278s in 2012-13 in the UCF Challenge and 2016-17 in the Cougar Classic).
The Tar Heels equaled the second-best team score of today’s third and final round, tying Houston 17 stokes behind team champion Iowa State. The Cyclones shot 29-under 259 today and shattered the 54-hole NCAA record by winning the tournament at 60-under 804.
Carolina improved three spots to finish 11th in the 17-team field at 7-under-par 857, shooting 289-292-276 in the three rounds. The 7-under finish and 857 total strokes both are sixth best in Carolina women’s golf history.
“This was a fantastic day for us. Any time you can count four scores under par you know you will be happy for the team,” says UNC head coach Aimee Neff. “What I am happiest about is we played to the standard and abilities we are capable of, which gives us momentum heading to Georgia next week and with the NC State Match Play and ACC Championships coming up soon, too.”
Smith, a senior from Burlington, N.C., equaled her season-low with 68 today to tie for 12th place at 5-under 211 (70-73-68), her best outing since she won the Texas A&M “Mo”Morial in September.
Izuzquiza, a junior from Spain, shot 72-73-69 to post a career-best 2-under 214, which earned her a tie for 26th place.
Streicher, a freshman from South Africa, tied for 41st after shooting 68 in the final round for an even-par 216 total (71-77-68). It was her second straight tournament with a par or better finish.
Natalia Aseguinolaza (78-72-71) shot 1-under over the last two rounds and tied for 69th at 5-over 221 and Vilde Nystrøm (76-74-72) tied for 75th at 6-over 222 after an even-par Sunday finish.
“We capitalized on our birdie opportunities today,” says Neff. “I am encouraged and excited for our players because we have even more in us. Now we need to build off today’s performances and play like this for all three rounds.”
Iowa State’s Karisa Chul-Ak-Sorn tied the all-time NCAA…
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