May 20, 2024 • by Dan Davies
The two best teams in the tournament thus far, Texas A&M and Stanford, left clear air between themselves and the chasing pack after the third of four stroke play rounds at the 2024 NCAA DI Women’s Championships.
Texas A&M head the field on 10 under with Stanford a single shot back. LSU, at one under, is the only other team below par.
On a testing day on the North Course at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, Stanford shot easily the best team score of the day, a three-under-par 285. Paula Martin Sampredo (pictured above) and Kelly Xu, who both went round in 70, were the best performers in another highly impressive display
“It was more of the same today,” said Stanford Head Coach Anne Walker, who led Cardinal to National Championship wins in 2022 and 2015. “It was so disciplined, committed. [They showed] a lot of patience and no quit.
The golf course got way more challenging today. The wind is picking up. The greens are firming up.
“The golf course got way more challenging today,” Walker added. “The wind is picking up. The greens are firming up. Hole locations were tougher and green speeds were faster. I think it all led to a challenge that was a significant degree up today.”
Stanford closed the gap on Texas A&M with the Aggies giving up six shots to par from the 12th hole onwards. It left Head Coach Gerrod Chadwell with mixed feelings at the end of the round.
“Just a little disappointed from a competitive standpoint with our finish,” was the verdict. "It wasn’t bad. It’s not easy out there. We got out to an okay start. We left some shots out there with the putter… If you told me we would be leading after 54 holes I would be tickled pink.”
If you told me we would be leading after 54 holes I would be tickled pink
French star Adela Cernousek was again the biggest contributor to the Aggies’ cause, shooting a third consecutive 68, comfortably the lowest round of the day, to take a commanding lead in the individual stroke play tournament.
In October, the third year student was joint medallist at the Jackson T. Stephen’s Cup at Trinity Forest and has risen to 12 in the National Collegiate Golf Rankings. Tomorrow, she has the opportunity to land the biggest title of her career. With finishes of T21 in 2022 and T14 last year, she is trending in the right direction.
She has slept on a few overnight leads this year and has been really close
“She is really good,” said Chadwell. “She has had a really good last two years. Her match play record is phenomenal. She hasn’t put a lot of trophies in the trophy case, but she has consistently been right there.
“She has slept on a few overnight leads this year and has been really close. I think the U.S. Women’s Open, finally punching that through, probably gave her the confidence she needs.”
On Tuesday, Cernousek won the US. Open Qualifier at the Golfcrest Country Club. At 12 under par through three rounds, she is one shot shy of the all-time championship 54-hole record, set by Virginia Elena Carta of Duke in 2016. The NCAA Individual Championship is now hers to lose.
Cernousek’s closest challengers are Lottie Woad of Florida State (-6) and Maria Jose Marin (above) of Arkansas (-5). “I think the key for today’s round was to stay really patient,” explained Marin, the 17-year-old Razorbacks freshman.
“The conditions were really tough and making the turn into the back nine, that’s the [hardest stretch of holes].... If I got a bogey I had to erase that hole out of my mind and birdie the next hole or do as many pars as I could.” She was good to her word, posting an excellent 71.
I've had some practice of making pressure putts
At the end of play, the field was cut to the top 15 teams and nine individuals with non-advancing teams. Tomorrow, the top eight teams will make it through to the match play stages. Sixteen shots separate the team in fifth place, Northwestern (+9) and the last team to make it through to day four, Florida State (+25).
The Seminoles had star player Lottie Woad to thank for their spot after she holed a slippery 6-footer for birdie on the par-5 18th. Woad had made 17 consecutive pars up to that point.
Asked whether it was the most pressure she'd felt in her college career, the 2024 ANWA champion replied, "I had four other people relying on me but luckily I've had some practice of making pressure putts."
Texas A&M -10, Stanford -9, LSU -1, Clemson +2, Northwestern +9
Adela Cernoucek (Texas A&M) -12, Lottie Woad (Florida State) -6, Maria Jose Marin (Arkansas) -5, Carla Tejedo (LSU) -4, Paula Martin Sampredo (Stanford) -4