Wildcats Earn Berth In NCAA Women’s Golf Championships

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida — Northwestern earned a berth in the 2023 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship with a T3 finish at the Palm Beach Gardens Regional headlined by two Wildcats in the Top-10 and four in the Top-25. 

TEAM Leaderboard – NCAA Palm Beach Gardens Regional (Golfstat)

INDIVIDUAL Leaderboard – NCAA Palm Beach Gardens Regional (Golfstat)

The ‘Cats were one of five teams to advance from Palm Beach Gardens, joined by Michigan State, Duke, LSU and Texas, as five of the Region’s Top-6 seeds earned a Championships berth with a Top-5 result over 54 holes at PGA National. Northwestern will make its eighth appearance in college golf’s premier event since 2013, and first since 2019.

WE’RE IN!!

For the eighth time since 2013, the ‘Cats are headed to the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships!

?? https://t.co/B31boSlnNr#GoCats | @patgossnugolf pic.twitter.com/cxClBA4ley

— Northwestern Golf (@NUGolf_Live) May 10, 2023

Northwestern was led in Round 3 and overall by senior Irene Kim, who birdied four of her final eight holes including, crucially on a crowded leaderboard, Nos. 17 and 18 to sign a 2-under 70 and finish T6. The La Palma, California, native posted back-to-back rounds under par on Tuesday and Wednesday, the continuation of a run of great form for the 2021 Big Ten Player of the Year. 

Kim was joined in the Top-10 by Kelly Sim, who posted a 2-under 70 in Round 1, and a 1-under 71 in Round 2. Dianna Lee (T24) and Jieni Li (T25) also earned Top-25 results for the Wildcats. 

After three rounds of play across six regionals, 30 teams and six individuals (not on a qualifying team) punched their tickets to the 2023 NCAA Div. I Women’s Golf National Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, May 19-24.

In January, the Division I Competition Oversight Committee approved increasing the field for the finals site of the Division I Women’s Golf Championships from 147 to 156.  The number of teams at the finals site increased from 27 to 30, while the number of individual participants at the finals site would decrease from 12 to six.

“There is significant importance in providing equitable participation opportunities for our women student-athletes,” said Bradford Hurlbut, director of athletics at Fairleigh Dickinson and chair of the Division I Women’s Golf Committee. “We are thrilled with the announcement by the…