The Oregon women's golf team's postseason journey came to an abrupt and disappointing end this week at the NCAA Waco Regional, where the Ducks—ranked No. 8 nationally and boasting the talent to contend for a national title—were eliminated after a tough final round.
Entering the third day of competition in fourth place, Oregon needed only a top-five finish among the 12-team field to advance to super regionals. But the Ducks stumbled when it mattered most, posting their worst round of the week and sliding to seventh place. It was a heartbreaking finish for a team that had shown so much promise, echoing a similarly uncharacteristic letdown at the Big Ten Tournament.
Throughout the week, Oregon displayed remarkable consistency in avoiding big mistakes, leading the field with 189 pars. However, they struggled to convert those steady holes into low scores, finishing with just 31 birdies—eighth-best in the field. The bright spot was Kiara Romero, who delivered a standout performance, tallying 13 of those birdies and finishing second individually at 5-under par. Freshman Sophie Han also impressed in her debut season, closing at 1-over par.
Veterans Darae Chung and Tong An turned in solid, if unspectacular, performances. But the story of the week was junior Karen Tsuru, a player with top-50 World Amateur Golf Ranking credentials who missed the entire fall season due to injury. She returned for the Chevron Classic and Big Ten Tournament in the spring, but rust was evident. Tsuru struggled in Waco, finishing 11-over par, a tough end to a challenging comeback season.
Final Team Standings:
4. Oregon — 280-283-286 — 849 (+9)
T-3. Kiara Romero — 66-70-69 — 205 (-5)
T-15. Sophie Han — 69-72-70 — 211 (+1)
T-39. Darae Chung — 73-70-75 — 218 (+8)
43. Tong An — 72-73-74 — 219 (+9)
T-46. Karen Tsuru — 76-72-79 — 227 (+17)
For a team with national title aspirations, this early exit stings. But with young talent like Romero and Han, and the promise of a healthy Tsuru next season, the Ducks have the pieces to bounce back stronger.