No. 10 Women’s Golf Finishes 10th at NCAA Championship
CARLSBAD, Calif. – The No. 10 Arkansas women’s golf team’s historic 2023-24 season came to an end on Monday evening, as the Hogs finished 10th following the fourth round of stroke play at the NCAA Championship. Arkansas shot a 12-over 300 in the fourth round to stand five strokes off the eight-team cutline for match play. In its first appearance in the fourth round of stroke play since 2019, Arkansas logged a 25-over 1177 (288-290-299-300), which is the second lowest four-round team score for the Hogs at an NCAA Championship in school history. Maria José Marin earned a 5-under 283 (72-68-71-72) for the tournament, which helped her finish in a tie for fourth.
José Marin’s fourth place showing marks the fifth time a Hog has finished in the top five as an individual since 2019 at an NCAA Championship. Her 283 is the lowest four-round score since Stacy Lewis’ 282 in 2007 at nationals. José Marin carded an even 72 on Monday, holding a clean card through 11 holes. After bogeying the third hole. José Marin bounced back with back-to-back birdies on holes five and six. She would bogey the eighth hole, but still finished all four rounds at par or under, marking 23 on the year, which is the second most in an individual season in program history.
The freshman ended the season with her fourth top five finish of her incredible season. José Marin tied for the best par 5s average (4.63) and third best par 4s average in the field. Her 15 birdies were tied for the sixth most.
Kendall Todd ended the tournament in a tie for 19th with a four-over 292 (72-70-73-77). Todd struggled with five bogeys but had 13 pars, including in her last eight holes. Her top 20 showing marked her eighth of her stellar season and tied for the eighth best finish at the NCAA Championship in school history.
Kajal Mistry finished her fantastic collegiate career by tying for 70th with a 16-over 304 (73-77-77-77). Mistry’s 77 on Monday was done behind one birdie, 13 pars and four bogeys or worse. After struggling on the fourth hole, she bounced back with a birdie on five before bogeying her last hole. Mistry ended her great collegiate career with 131 rounds played and four postseason appearances.
Miriam Ayora tied for 75th in the tournament with a 20-over 308 (71-75-84-78). Ayora finished the fourth round with 13 pars, four bogeys and one double bogey. She also wrapped up her time at Arkansas after an incredible career of 102 rounds played.
Reagan Zibilski came out firing in the final round of stroke play, sitting a 3-under par with three birdies and 10 pars through 13 holes. The sophomore would find trouble on the front and her final holes with three bogeys and a double bogey in her final five holes. Zibilski finished the tournament with a 22-over 310 (78-80-78-74) in her first NCAA Championship appearance.
Arkansas finished with the fourth best par 4s average in the tournament (4.10), as well as logged 228 pars and 47 birdies as a group. The Hogs’ NCAA Championship appearance was the program’s 12th showing and 10th place is tied for the fifth best showing at nationals in school history.