Tuesday, May 21
Carlsbad, CA
1:30 PM
UCLA
vs
Oregon
Photo by: Jesus Ramirez
UCLA Downs Oregon, Advances to National Championship Match
May 21, 2024 | Women's Golf
CARLSBAD, Calif. -- The UCLA women's golf team beat the University of Oregon 3-1 in the NCAA Championship semifinals on Tuesday afternoon to advance to the NCAA Championship match. The Bruins will now take on Stanford in the final round of match play for the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, Calif. on Wednesday, May 22.
Tomorrow's NCAA Championship final match will begin at 2:15 p.m. (PT) with the entirety of the action televised live on the GOLF Channel. Live scoring for the NCAA Championships can be followed at this GolfStat link.
UCLA, led by first-year head coach Alicia Um Holmes, is making its first-ever NCAA Championship Match Play Final appearance after beating (3) Texas A&M in the quarterfinals and (7) Oregon in the semifinals on Tuesday. The Bruins last reached the match play semifinals of the NCAA Championships in 2016. The match play portion was added to the NCAA Tournament prior to the start of the 2015 season.
"We are so happy, we have worked really hard, and now we get to have some fun," head coach Um Holmes said. "The strategy tonight is for us to rest and recover, and feel like we have enough energy to last the whole round tomorrow. We need to stay patient, committed, and trust ourselves."
UCLA has won three NCAA Championships in program history: 2011, 2004 and 1991.
Caroline Canales played an incredible two rounds of golf on Tuesday, culminating in a 7&5 win in the first match of the day in the semifinal round. Canales earned four-straight wins to open up a 4-0 lead in the first pairing of the afternoon and never looked back en route to the 7&5 win to put the Bruins up 1-0 in the team category.
Canales finished the day 2-0 and is now 7-2-0 all-time in match play for her career. She also became the first UCLA player to win an NCAA Championship match six up or better with her 7&5 round today.
Meghan Royal, who also won her quarterfinal match, earned the second point for the Bruins in dramatic fashion. The sophomore was up three strokes with three holes remaining before hitting her approach shot right of the pin on the 15th hole. She then calmly strode up to the ball and sank the 50-foot putt to clinch her match and put the Bruins up 2-0.
With the Bruins up 2-0, all they needed was one more match to win and advance to the title match. They found their winner in Natalie Vo, who like Canales and Royal, won her quarterfinal match as well. Vo jumped out to a 2-point lead after five holes and extended it to three after winning the 12th hole. She then clinched the match for UCLA on the 17th hole with a tap-in.
The pairings for tomorrow's match play final against Stanford are below.
Other Bruins in action were Zoe Antoinette Campos and Kate Villegas. Campos fell in her match 4&3, while Villegas' match went unfinished.
Tomorrow's NCAA Championship final match will begin at 2:15 p.m. (PT) with the entirety of the action televised live on the GOLF Channel. Live scoring for the NCAA Championships can be followed at this GolfStat link.
UCLA, led by first-year head coach Alicia Um Holmes, is making its first-ever NCAA Championship Match Play Final appearance after beating (3) Texas A&M in the quarterfinals and (7) Oregon in the semifinals on Tuesday. The Bruins last reached the match play semifinals of the NCAA Championships in 2016. The match play portion was added to the NCAA Tournament prior to the start of the 2015 season.
"We are so happy, we have worked really hard, and now we get to have some fun," head coach Um Holmes said. "The strategy tonight is for us to rest and recover, and feel like we have enough energy to last the whole round tomorrow. We need to stay patient, committed, and trust ourselves."
UCLA has won three NCAA Championships in program history: 2011, 2004 and 1991.
Caroline Canales played an incredible two rounds of golf on Tuesday, culminating in a 7&5 win in the first match of the day in the semifinal round. Canales earned four-straight wins to open up a 4-0 lead in the first pairing of the afternoon and never looked back en route to the 7&5 win to put the Bruins up 1-0 in the team category.
Canales finished the day 2-0 and is now 7-2-0 all-time in match play for her career. She also became the first UCLA player to win an NCAA Championship match six up or better with her 7&5 round today.
Meghan Royal, who also won her quarterfinal match, earned the second point for the Bruins in dramatic fashion. The sophomore was up three strokes with three holes remaining before hitting her approach shot right of the pin on the 15th hole. She then calmly strode up to the ball and sank the 50-foot putt to clinch her match and put the Bruins up 2-0.
Even Meghan Royal couldn't believe it. ??
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) May 22, 2024
Her birdie putt from distance secures UCLA's second point against Oregon. #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/FLQpJxEFQJ
With the Bruins up 2-0, all they needed was one more match to win and advance to the title match. They found their winner in Natalie Vo, who like Canales and Royal, won her quarterfinal match as well. Vo jumped out to a 2-point lead after five holes and extended it to three after winning the 12th hole. She then clinched the match for UCLA on the 17th hole with a tap-in.
The dream run for the Bruins continues!@UCLAWomensGolf defeats Oregon to advance to the NCAA DI women's golf match play finals. #NCAAGolf pic.twitter.com/LZWCxTLzZa
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) May 22, 2024
The pairings for tomorrow's match play final against Stanford are below.
Pairings for tomorrow's national championship match.
— UCLA Women's Golf (@UCLAWomensGolf) May 22, 2024
Paula Martin Sampedro vs.
Caroline Canales, 2:15 pm
Kelly Xu vs. Meghan Royal, 2:25 pm
Megha Ganne vs. Natalie Vo, 2:35 pm
Sadie Englemann vs. Zoe Campos, 2:45 pm
Rachel Heck vs. Kate Villegas, 2:55 pm#GoBruins pic.twitter.com/YPRT3jUyeH
Other Bruins in action were Zoe Antoinette Campos and Kate Villegas. Campos fell in her match 4&3, while Villegas' match went unfinished.
Players Mentioned
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