Michigan Women’s Golf on Their Way to NCAA Tournament
MSU’s Leila Raines also qualified
By Tom Wywrot, U-M
Led by the duo of senior Ashley Lau and junior Hailey Borja, the 18th-ranked University of Michigan women's golf team posted a final-round 287 (+3) to tie for third place at the NCAA Ann Arbor Regional on Wednesday (May 11) at U-M Golf Course. With their three-day total of 880 (293-300-287), the Wolverines advance to make their second consecutive NCAA Finals appearance.
The Wolverines will be joined at the finals in Scottsdale, Ariz., by regional champion No. 5 San Jose State (862), No. 8 Virginia (865) and No. 20 Arkansas (880), making their way to the Grayhawk Golf Club.
With the top four teams advancing to the NCAA Finals, the Wolverines began the final round with a five-shot cushion for one of the four coveted Finals spots. Recording five front-nine birdies, U-M began steady, making the turn even and holding its advantage over a rallying Virginia Tech, which started its day three-under.
As the Hokies continued to press, they drew themselves within two shots of the Wolverines before three straight birdies from junior Mikaela Schulz helped U-M regain its advantage. As the pressure began to mount, birdies from Borja on Nos. 15 and 17, as well as another birdie on 17 from Lau, continued to help relieve it and counter any push from Virginia Tech.
With the Hokies in the clubhouse after a 279 (-5), a highlight-reel up-and-down par by Borja sealed U-M's top-four finish giving the Wolverines a three-shot cushion as cards continued to come in. In the end, it was U-M's slow and steady pace on the back-nine that yielded 24 pars, six birdies and six bogeys to close even and put a 287 on the board for an 880 regional total.
Individually, the Wolverines placed three among to the top 25 as Big Ten Golf of the Year Lau posted her sixth top-five finish of the season, tying for fifth at 215 (73-73-69). Right behind was Borja with her fifth top-10 after she tied for ninth at 216 (73-72-71). Schulz tied for 23rd at 223 (74-76-73). This will be the Wolverines fifth trip to the NCAA Finals in program history.
MSU Sophomore Advances:
MSU’s team score at the Stillwater regional came up one position short of the top 4 teams advancing to the NCAA Finals. But Spartan sophomore Leila Raines is going to the national finals thanks to a playoff win with an eagle on the second playoff hole over Furman's Sophia Burnett, Tulane's Carla Bernat and Clemson's Savannah Grewal.
Raines will represent MSU as one of the top Regional finishers not on a team that qualified.
Raines was the top placer for MSU, finishing in a tie for 10th place at 3-over par 219. She fired a 1-under par 71 in the final round before heading for her individual playoff. She was 1-over par on the front nine, but played the back at 2-under par with four birdies, including three on the final five holes.
