Women’s Golf | May 22, 2023
Freshman Catherine Park posted USC’s best NCAA individual finish since 2014, junior Amari Avery fired a 2-under 70 and the USC women’s golf team finished fifth in stroke play at the 2023 NCAA Championships on Monday (May 23) at Grayhawk G.C. to clinch their first NCAA match play berth since 2019.
USC, a three-time NCAA champion, earned the program’s sixth NCAA match play appearance by finishing at 2-over 1154 (296-276-290-292), one back of fourth-place South Carolina. The Gamecocks will be the Trojans’ opening match play opponent.
Park, in pursuit of USC’s sixth NCAA individual title, began the round and made the final round turn in first, but a pair of late bogeys and a missed birdie opportunity on 18 left her a stroke short.
Still, Park finished at 9-under 279 (71-64-71-73), tied for USC’s third-lowest 72-hole total ever at NCAAs.
The tie for second was the Trojans’ best finish since Doris Chen won the NCAA title in 2014 and Park becomes the fourth Trojan freshman to post a top 2 finish, joining NCAA winners Annie Park (2013) and Jennifer Rosales (1998) as well as Jennifer Song (tied for second in 2009).
For the Trojans’ it is their best stroke play finish since a third in 2019. USC has made it to the semifinals of match play three times, including in 2015, 2017 and 2018 and is still looking for its first match play final.
Sophomore Amari Avery rebounded from a 6-over third round to close with USC’s best round Monday and tied for 31st at 1-over 289 (72-69-78-70).
Sophomore Xin (Cindy) Kou tied for 48th at 5-over 293 (74-74-71-74) while junior Brianna Navarrosa tied for 61st at 9-over 297 (79-69-74-75).
Junior Christine Wang was in the lineup for the second straight day and finished with a 79.
If USC defeats South Carolina in the morning match, it will take on the winner of top seed Stanford and eighth seed Pepperdine.
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