COLUMBUS, Ga. – Junior Emma Spitz was named an ANNIKA Award Finalist for the third time of her career, the Haskins Foundation announced Monday morning. The winner will be announced on Golf Channel on Tuesday, May 24, during the penultimate day of the NCAA Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Created in 2014, the ANNIKA Award is annually given to the top female U.S. collegiate golfer the winner voted on by players, coaches and members of the college golf media.
This season, Spitz leads the Bruins with a 72.0 scoring average, 13 rounds under par, five top-10 and eight top-20 finishes. Spitz most recently tied for third and was one of just four golfers to finish under par (-2, 214) at the NCAA Tallahassee Regional Championships on May 11. In her second round at that event, Spitz shot a 4-over through the first three holes but then torched the course for six birdies on the remaining 15.
Spitz is an astounding 11-under in second round play in her 11 tournaments this season, averaging a 70.9 strokes on day two.
Spitz has never finished outside the top three in any NCAA Regional or NCAA Championship event in her career. Spitz won the Bruins' third consecutive NCAA Regional individual title at the 2020-21 NCAA Louisville Regional after shooting an 8-under 208, including a 5-under 67 and 4-under 68 in the final two rounds. She went on to finish runner-up at the NCAA Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club with a 7-under 287.
Spitz shoots a 70.3 scoring average across 10 total rounds at her two NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championships appearances. She has recorded seven rounds under par, three sub-70 scores and finished over par just twice in those 10 rounds.
Spitz, the No. 9 ranked women's collegiate golfer in the country, also leads the Bruins with five under-par tournament finishes: Stanford Intercollegiate (-1, 212), Nanea Pac-12 Preview (-8, 211), PING/ASU Invitational (-7, 209), Chambers Bay Invitational (-1, 215) and the NCAA Tallahassee Regional (-2, 214).
Spitz owns UCLA's only individual medal this season, coming at the Chambers Bay Invitational on April 12 where she was the only golfer in the field to finish under par.
Outside of collegiate play, Spitz has participated in all three Augusta National Women's Amateur tournaments. In this year's showcase, Spitz was one stroke behind the leader heading into day three before finishing tied for 12th at 5-over 221.
Bruins and the ANNIKA Award
Two Bruins -- Alison Lee and Bronte Law -- have brought ANNIKA Award honors to Westwood in the award's seven-year history.
Alison Lee
As the first recipient to win the ANNIKA, the UCLA Freshman was honored as the top female collegiate golfer in 2014. Lee won three collegiate tournaments in her season at UCLA, including the Pac-12 Championship. She was voted the 2014 Pac-12 Freshman and Player of the Year, as well as WGCA national freshman of the year. She also set a UCLA single season scoring record of 71.0 and became the first player in school history to win the GolfStat Cup - collegiate golf's scoring title.
Bronte Law
Bronte Law was awarded the ANNIKA Award in 2016. The junior enjoyed a knockout season collecting three Player of the Year awards from PING/WGCA, Golfweek and the Pac-12 Conference. Law led the Bruins in scoring average, posting eight top 10's, including three victories to give her six for her career. She was co-medalist at the NCAA Bryan Regional and was WGCA and Golfweek First Team All-American and an All Pac-12 First Team selection. Lastly, she finished the year as the top-ranked collegiate golfer according to Golfweek. Law ranks second all-time in UCLA history in career wins with seven.
Created in 2014, the ANNIKA Award is annually given to the top female U.S. collegiate golfer the winner voted on by players, coaches and members of the college golf media.
This season, Spitz leads the Bruins with a 72.0 scoring average, 13 rounds under par, five top-10 and eight top-20 finishes. Spitz most recently tied for third and was one of just four golfers to finish under par (-2, 214) at the NCAA Tallahassee Regional Championships on May 11. In her second round at that event, Spitz shot a 4-over through the first three holes but then torched the course for six birdies on the remaining 15.
Spitz is an astounding 11-under in second round play in her 11 tournaments this season, averaging a 70.9 strokes on day two.
Spitz has never finished outside the top three in any NCAA Regional or NCAA Championship event in her career. Spitz won the Bruins' third consecutive NCAA Regional individual title at the 2020-21 NCAA Louisville Regional after shooting an 8-under 208, including a 5-under 67 and 4-under 68 in the final two rounds. She went on to finish runner-up at the NCAA Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club with a 7-under 287.
Spitz shoots a 70.3 scoring average across 10 total rounds at her two NCAA Regionals and NCAA Championships appearances. She has recorded seven rounds under par, three sub-70 scores and finished over par just twice in those 10 rounds.
Spitz, the No. 9 ranked women's collegiate golfer in the country, also leads the Bruins with five under-par tournament finishes: Stanford Intercollegiate (-1, 212), Nanea Pac-12 Preview (-8, 211), PING/ASU Invitational (-7, 209), Chambers Bay Invitational (-1, 215) and the NCAA Tallahassee Regional (-2, 214).
Spitz owns UCLA's only individual medal this season, coming at the Chambers Bay Invitational on April 12 where she was the only golfer in the field to finish under par.
Outside of collegiate play, Spitz has participated in all three Augusta National Women's Amateur tournaments. In this year's showcase, Spitz was one stroke behind the leader heading into day three before finishing tied for 12th at 5-over 221.
Bruins and the ANNIKA Award
Two Bruins -- Alison Lee and Bronte Law -- have brought ANNIKA Award honors to Westwood in the award's seven-year history.
Alison Lee
As the first recipient to win the ANNIKA, the UCLA Freshman was honored as the top female collegiate golfer in 2014. Lee won three collegiate tournaments in her season at UCLA, including the Pac-12 Championship. She was voted the 2014 Pac-12 Freshman and Player of the Year, as well as WGCA national freshman of the year. She also set a UCLA single season scoring record of 71.0 and became the first player in school history to win the GolfStat Cup - collegiate golf's scoring title.
Bronte Law
Bronte Law was awarded the ANNIKA Award in 2016. The junior enjoyed a knockout season collecting three Player of the Year awards from PING/WGCA, Golfweek and the Pac-12 Conference. Law led the Bruins in scoring average, posting eight top 10's, including three victories to give her six for her career. She was co-medalist at the NCAA Bryan Regional and was WGCA and Golfweek First Team All-American and an All Pac-12 First Team selection. Lastly, she finished the year as the top-ranked collegiate golfer according to Golfweek. Law ranks second all-time in UCLA history in career wins with seven.