Northwestern women's golf is heading back to the NCAA Championships, and they've got the hardware to prove it. The Wildcats delivered a gritty, three-day performance at the Ann Arbor Regional, battling through windy conditions to secure their spot among the nation's elite.
Facing a stacked 12-team field that included eight top-50 programs, Northwestern knew they had to bring their A-game. The highest-ranked team in the field was USC, led by former Wildcat Elise Lee. With only five teams advancing to the NCAA Championships, the pressure was on—and Northwestern rose to the occasion.
The Wildcats came out swinging in the opening round, shooting a stellar 5-under as a team to tie for the lead with Ohio State. Only three teams finished under par, and Northwestern's fast start set the tone. Ashley Yun was the star of the day, carding a 5-under round with five birdies and 13 pars. She even birdied the tricky par-3 eighth hole, which played to an average score of 3.32. Yun finished the day tied for the individual lead with Elise Lee. Freshman Lauren E. Lee also impressed with a 2-under 69, including back-to-back birdies on holes 6 and 7, while Dianna Lee added three birdies of her own for a 70, landing tied for 10th.
Round two brought tougher conditions, with Northwestern shooting 7-over as a team. Still, they held steady in a tie for second, just one stroke behind Ohio State and level with USC. More importantly, they built an 11-shot cushion over sixth-place UCF—a critical buffer with only the top five teams moving on. Yun continued her dominance with a 2-under round, moving to 7-under overall and opening a four-shot lead. Dianna Lee matched par and sat tied for sixth, putting Northwestern in prime position to advance.
The final round tested the Wildcats' resolve, as they shot 15-over as a team. But they held on comfortably to secure fourth place and punch their ticket to the NCAA Championships. Dianna Lee delivered a bogey-free 3-under round, tying for second alongside Elise Lee. Yun finished 2-over in the final round but held on for the individual title, capping a remarkable performance that powered Northwestern's return to the national stage.