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Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Megha moment: All-timer of a day ends with Stanford, Northwestern set for NCAA title bout
CARLSBAD, Calif. – When informed of her NCAA semifinal opponent on Tuesday afternoon, Megha Ganne was pumped. The Stanford junior had a date with the world No. 1 amateur, Florida State junior Lottie Woad, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Ganne could relish the underdog role. That heavyweight bout delivered. Advertisement And down went Lottie. Ganne rattled home seven birdies, including the 10-footer on the 20th hole, to earn the clinching point for top-ranked Stanford in a 3.5-1.5 victory over the Seminoles and punch the defending NCAA champions' ticket back to the final, where they'll face Northwestern, a 3-2 winner over Oregon. 'I was trying to calm it down right before the birdie putt, taking some breaths, because I was really juiced on that green,' said Ganne, who saw Woad pour in six birdies of her own in a match that was tied six different times and where no lead was more than 1 up. Woad missed mid-range birdie chances on No. 18 and the two extra holes, the par-4 first and par-4 15th, the latter being where Ganne had erased Woad's final lead in regulation. Woad, who is nearing an LPGA card through the new LEAP program, could've potentially hit her last college golf shot. Advertisement 'I was so grateful to be playing Lottie,' Ganne later explained. 'I think she's an incredible player and world No. 1 for a reason, so I was honestly just so excited about the matchup. I have so much respect for her, and I knew a day like today with seven birdies is exactly what it would take.' It was an electric day that will be remembered for decades in this sport – eight of the most accomplished teams in the country, a bevy of superstars, six hotly contested matches, a premier test in Omni La Costa in near-perfect conditions, and a whole lotta golf. Stanford, undefeated in stroke play this season and 21 shots better than this week's field after 72 holes, had just survived Virginia's best upset bid in the quarterfinals and would now get the fourth-ranked Seminoles, six-time winners who boasted not only Woad but also the second-ranked amateur and recent Annika Award winner in Mirabel Ting. Ting's match against Andrea Revuelta, who overcame a dislocated right shoulder in January to win both conference and regional medals, also went extras, though it ended in a draw with Ting standing on the 15th tee, watching from afar as Ganne was mobbed by a few teammates on the green. Advertisement Florida State's Alexandra Gazzoli topped fellow freshman Meja Ortengren in the anchor match, the third that saw overtime, with a nervy two-putt on the 19th hole. Stanford's Paula Martin Sampedro and Kelly Xu, who joined Ganne on last year's title-winning squad, had the other two points for the Cardinal. 'Two powerhouse programs who had great years, and it made for really good golf from start to finish,' Florida State head coach Amy Bond said. 'If you were a spectator out here today and you didn't enjoy yourself, then you're missing it. This is huge for college golf.' And that match was just half of the post-intermission fireworks. Oregon, a semifinalist for the second straight year, seemed destined to advance to its second NCAA final in four seasons. The Ducks fought through back injuries to Karen Tsuru and Tong An, who were both subbed out for a round apiece during stroke play, and then held on against Texas after Longhorns standout Lauren Kim squandered her 4-down comeback against An by three-putting the 20th hole. Advertisement But Northwestern proved too savvy, too disciplined, too inspired. During the semifinal pairings, Wildcats head coach Emily Fletcher had the option of picking who would be last out opposite Oregon stud Kiara Romero – her best player in senior Lauren Nguyen, who celebrated her 22nd birthday on Tuesday, or junior Dianna Lee, a top-75 player in her own right but who has been battling a cold. It didn't take long for Fletcher to throw Lee, a San Diego native, in the anchor spot. 'We put her out last and gave her a little bit of extra rest, and we knew she would just keep plodding along,' Fletcher said. 'We just stayed out of her way. She hit a lot of precision shots out there and just plodded her way around.' Lee quickly shook the notion of a potential sacrificial lamb by winning the first hole and jumping 2 up through three. Romero carded four birdies, yet she also had three bogeys and a double before not even finishing the deciding par-5 closing hole, where the tee box had been pushed way up to entice players to go for it. Not many did, opting instead for a mid-iron into the fat of the fairway, but Romero, who had just won the par-4 17th after Lee three-putted from 35 feet, pounded driver to give herself a 6-iron in. Lee also played aggressively and sent her second shot up around the green. Advertisement Seemingly with the advantage, Romero proceeded to push her iron shot into the back-right bunker, where she drew an awful lie that caused her to leave her next two shots in the sand. She then picked up her ball, conceding the hole and the match. In a fitting end to an emotional day, Lee finally cracked in her post-match interview. 'It's absolutely everything to me and to my team,' a choked-up Lee said. 'From Day 1, this is all I ever really wanted to do. And our team has so much support and belief in each other, and I knew that all I needed to do today was just focus on myself because I knew that my teammates had their own backs, too. Coming out today and finishing off the last point is so special.' Added Fletcher: 'I told this group all week that they just needed to believe in themselves the way that they believe in each other.' Advertisement And believe they did. Now, with Northwestern the sizable underdog against the Stanford juggernaut, that belief is set to be tested perhaps more than it ever has. NCAA FINAL MATCHES Megha Ganne vs. Ashley Yun, 5:15 p.m. ET Paula Martin Sampedro vs. Lauryn Nguyen, 5:25 p.m. Meja Ortengren vs. Hsin Tai Lin, 5:35 p.m. Kelly Xu vs. Elise Lee, 5:45 p.m. Andrea Revuelta vs. Dianna Lee, 5:55 p.m.
NBC Sports
21-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Megha moment: All-timer of a day ends with Stanford, Northwestern set for NCAA title bout
CARLSBAD, Calif. – When informed of her NCAA semifinal opponent on Tuesday afternoon, Megha Ganne was pumped. The Stanford junior had a date with the world No. 1 amateur, Florida State junior Lottie Woad, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Ganne could relish the underdog role. That heavyweight bout delivered. And down went Lottie. Ganne rattled home seven birdies, including the 10-footer on the 20th hole, to earn the clinching point for top-ranked Stanford in a 3.5-1.5 victory over the Seminoles and punch the defending NCAA champions' ticket back to the final, where they'll face Northwestern, a 3-2 winner over Oregon. 'I was trying to calm it down right before the birdie putt, taking some breaths, because I was really juiced on that green,' said Ganne, who saw Woad pour in six birdies of her own in a match that was tied six different times and where no lead was more than 1 up. Woad missed mid-range birdie chances on No. 18 and the two extra holes, the par-4 first and par-4 15th, the latter being where Ganne had erased Woad's final lead in regulation. Woad, who is nearing an LPGA card through the new LEAP program, could've potentially hit her last college golf shot. 'I was so grateful to be playing Lottie,' Ganne later explained. 'I think she's an incredible player and world No. 1 for a reason, so I was honestly just so excited about the matchup. I have so much respect for her, and I knew a day like today with seven birdies is exactly what it would take.' It was an electric day that will be remembered for decades in this sport – eight of the most accomplished teams in the country, a bevy of superstars, six hotly contested matches, a premier test in Omni La Costa in near-perfect conditions, and a whole lotta golf. Stanford, undefeated in stroke play this season and 21 shots better than this week's field after 72 holes, had just survived Virginia's best upset bid in the quarterfinals and would now get the fourth-ranked Seminoles, six-time winners who boasted not only Woad but also the second-ranked amateur and recent Annika Award winner in Mirabel Ting. Ting's match against Andrea Revuelta, who overcame a dislocated right shoulder in January to win both conference and regional medals, also went extras, though it ended in a draw with Ting standing on the 15th tee, watching from afar as Ganne was mobbed by a few teammates on the green. Florida State's Alexandra Gazzoli topped fellow freshman Meja Ortengren in the anchor match, the third that saw overtime, with a nervy two-putt on the 19th hole. Stanford's Paula Martin Sampedro and Kelly Xu, who joined Ganne on last year's title-winning squad, had the other two points for the Cardinal. 'Two powerhouse programs who had great years, and it made for really good golf from start to finish,' Florida State head coach Amy Bond said. 'If you were a spectator out here today and you didn't enjoy yourself, then you're missing it. This is huge for college golf.' And that match was just half of the post-intermission fireworks. Oregon, a semifinalist for the second straight year, seemed destined to advance to its second NCAA final in four seasons. The Ducks fought through back injuries to Karen Tsuru and Tong An, who were both subbed out for a round apiece during stroke play, and then held on against Texas after Longhorns standout Lauren Kim squandered her 4-down comeback against An by three-putting the 20th hole. But Northwestern proved too savvy, too disciplined, too inspired. During the semifinal pairings, Wildcats head coach Emily Fletcher had the option of picking who would be last out opposite Oregon stud Kiara Romero – her best player in senior Lauren Nguyen, who celebrated her 22nd birthday on Tuesday, or junior Dianna Lee, a top-75 player in her own right but who has been battling a cold. It didn't take long for Fletcher to throw Lee, a San Diego native, in the anchor spot. 'We put her out last and gave her a little bit of extra rest, and we knew she would just keep plodding along,' Fletcher said. 'We just stayed out of her way. She hit a lot of precision shots out there and just plodded her way around.' Lee quickly shook the notion of a potential sacrificial lamb by winning the first hole and jumping 2 up through three. Romero carded four birdies, yet she also had three bogeys and a double before not even finishing the deciding par-5 closing hole, where the tee box had been pushed way up to entice players to go for it. Not many did, opting instead for a mid-iron into the fat of the fairway, but Romero, who had just won the par-4 17th after Lee three-putted from 35 feet, pounded driver to give herself a 6-iron in. Lee also played aggressively and sent her second shot up around the green. Seemingly with the advantage, Romero proceeded to push her iron shot into the back-right bunker, where she drew an awful lie that caused her to leave her next two shots in the sand. She then picked up her ball, conceding the hole and the match. In a fitting end to an emotional day, Lee finally cracked in her post-match interview. 'It's absolutely everything to me and to my team,' a choked-up Lee said. 'From Day 1, this is all I ever really wanted to do. And our team has so much support and belief in each other, and I knew that all I needed to do today was just focus on myself because I knew that my teammates had their own backs, too. Coming out today and finishing off the last point is so special.' Added Fletcher: 'I told this group all week that they just needed to believe in themselves the way that they believe in each other.' And believe they did. Now, with Northwestern the sizable underdog against the Stanford juggernaut, that belief is set to be tested perhaps more than it ever has. NCAA FINAL MATCHES Megha Ganne vs. Ashley Yun, 5:15 p.m. ET Paula Martin Sampedro vs. Lauryn Nguyen, 5:25 p.m. Meja Ortengren vs. Hsin Tai Lin, 5:35 p.m. Kelly Xu vs. Elise Lee, 5:45 p.m. Andrea Revuelta vs. Dianna Lee, 5:55 p.m.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Stanford, eyeing back-to-back titles, facing Northwestern in NCAA women's national championship
Megha Ganne made a 7-foot birdie putt on the 20th hole to defeat world No. 1 Lottie Woad and vault Stanford into the NCAA DI women's national championship final. The Cardinal will face Northwestern Wednesday at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, as they look to become the first team in the match-play era (beginning in 2015) to win back-to-back national titles. Advertisement Following morning quarterfinal matches, Stanford defeated Florida State, 3 ½ to 1 ½. Northwestern beat Oregon, 3-2. With the Cardinal leading FSU, 2-0, thanks to a 5-and-3 win by Paula Martin Sampedro and a 5-and-4 victory by Kelly Xu, Stanford forced extra holes in all three remaining matches. Seminole junior Mirabel Ting, the second-ranked amateur in the world and recently named player of the year, was unable to close out her match in regulation against Andrea Revuleta. Woad, meanwhile, was 1 up through 14 holes over Ganne but needed to birdie the 17th to help force sudden death. On the second playoff hole, the par-4 15th, Ganne hit her approach shot to 7 feet and Woad followed to 12 feet. Woad failed to convert her effort while Ganne center-cut hers to earn the clinching point. Advertisement The Northwestern-Oregon tilt came down to the final match, with Wildcat junior Dianna Lee taking down decorated sophomore Kiara Romero, 2 up. Lee had two separate putts on the 17th hole to defeat the world No. 3, but missed both. Romero, however, hit her approach shot into the back greenside bunker on the par-4 18th and couldn't escape after two swings. She conceded the hole and the match. The last team to repeat as DI women's national champions was Duke, in 2007, when 72 holes of stroke play determined the winner. Stanford has won three titles since the format change — 2015, 2022, 2024. Golf Channel will air live coverage of the final at 6 p.m. EDT.
NBC Sports
21-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
NCAAW semifinal recap
Megha Ganne made a 7-foot birdie putt on the 20th hole to defeat world No. 1 Lottie Woad and vault Stanford into the finals of the NCAA DI women's championships. The Cardinal will face Northwestern Wednesday at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, as they look to become the first team in the match-play era (beginning in 2015) to win back-to-back national titles. Following morning quarterfinal matches, Stanford defeated Florida State, 3 ½ to 1 ½. Northwestern beat Oregon, 3-2. With the Cardnial leading FSU, 2-0, thanks to a 5-and-3 win by Paula Martin Sampedro and a 5-and-4 victory by Kelly Xu, Stanford forced extra holes in all three remaining matches. Seminole junior Mirabel Ting, the second-ranked amateur in the world and recently named player of the year, was unable to close out her match in regulation against Andrea Revuleta. Woad, meanwhile, was 1 up through 14 holes over Ganne but needed to birdie the 17th to help force sudden death. On the second playoff hole, the par-4 15th, Ganne hit her approach shot to 7 feet and Woad followed to 12 feet. Woad failed to convert her effort while Ganne center-cut hers to earn the clinching point. The Northwestern-Oregon tilt came down to the final match, with Wildcat junior Dianna Lee taking down decorated sophomore Kiara Romero. Lee had two separate putts on the 17th hole to defeat the world No. 3, but missed both. Romero, however, hit her approach shot into the back greenside bunker on the par-4 18th and couldn't escape after two swings. She conceded the hole and the match. The last team to repeat as DI women's national champions was Duke, in 2007, when 72 holes of stroke play determined the winner. Golf Channel will air live coverage of the final at 6 p.m. EDT.
NBC Sports
21-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Stanford to face Northwestern in finals of NCAA women's championship
Megha Ganne made a 7-foot birdie putt on the 20th hole to defeat world No. 1 Lottie Woad and vault Stanford into the finals of the NCAA DI women's championships. The Cardinal will face Northwestern Wednesday at La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, as they look to become the first team in the match-play era (beginning in 2015) to win back-to-back national titles. Following morning quarterfinal matches, Stanford defeated Florida State, 3 ½ to 1 ½. Northwestern beat Oregon, 3-2. With the Cardnial leading FSU, 2-0, thanks to a 5-and-3 win by Paula Martin Sampedro and a 5-and-4 victory by Kelly Xu, Stanford forced extra holes in all three remaining matches. Seminole junior Mirabel Ting, the second-ranked amateur in the world and recently named player of the year, was unable to close out her match in regulation against Andrea Revuleta. Woad, meanwhile, was 1 up through 14 holes over Ganne but needed to birdie the 17th to help force sudden death. On the second playoff hole, the par-4 15th, Ganne hit her approach shot to 7 feet and Woad followed to 12 feet. Woad failed to convert her effort while Ganne center-cut hers to earn the clinching point. The Northwestern-Oregon tilt came down to the final match, with Wildcat junior Dianna Lee taking down decorated sophomore Kiara Romero. Lee had two separate putts on the 17th hole to defeat the world No. 3, but missed both. Romero, however, hit her approach shot into the back greenside bunker on the par-4 18th and couldn't escape after two swings. She conceded the hole and the match. The last team to repeat as DI women's national champions was Duke, in 2007, when 72 holes of stroke play determined the winner. Golf Channel will air live coverage of the final at 6 p.m. EDT.
