The Emory women won their second-straight NCAA Division III championship and their third overall, prevailing at Desert Willow Golf Resort in Palm Desert, Calif. It was the third national title for Emory, which became only the third program to win three or more national titles.
The Eagles set a new NCAA record as they recorded a four-round total of 1,154 to break their own record of 1,168 set last year. Emory finished at 2 over par and won by seven shots over Carnegie Mellon.
The Eagles entered the final round up by one stroke over the Tartans, but pulled away on the back nine as the team found its momentum and carded 12 birdies collectively to close out their championship-winning performance.
Zimo Li, the DIII National Player of the Year, and freshman Amanda Zheng led the way by shooting even-par 288; they tied for seventh. Carys Code was one shot behind and placed ninth. Covi Yan shot 9 over and finished 36th and Esther Jung was 11 over and finished 56th.
Li shot a 71 in her final round of the tournament, starting steady with two birdies and the same number of bogeys on the front nine before carding three birdies and another pair of bogeys on the back nine to secure her second top ten finish at the NCAA championship.
Zheng capped off her NCAA championship debut with an incredible final round, carding a 69 (-3). The freshman made par on each hole of the front nine apart from a bogey on four but found her stride on the back nine as she shot four birdies to tie the individual round program record.
The team is coached by John Sjoberg, the school’s director of golf, who also coaches the men’s team.
