Royal Golf Club – Syndication Server

South Carolina defends title at 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate, Hannah Darling wins medalist honors

It was a record-breaking win for South Carolina.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. — As her teammates patiently waited near the back of the 18th green, Hannah Darling took her phone and walked to the far side of it to call home.

It’s there she released emotions that had been pent up for months. Darling, a three-time All-American at South Carolina, said the worst week of her life happened at the NCAA Championship in May. This summer, she had to reset. She didn’t play for a month, hardly touched a club at that.

And now in a two-week span, she has had two of the most rewarding victories of her life.

Darling, a senior, birdied her final two holes and played the last 10 in 6 under to win the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate at Royal Golf Club outside of Minneapolis. Darling topped teammate Louise Rydqvist by a shot for medalist honors, and the duo were a big reason why the No. 12 Gamecocks won by a record-margin of 27 shots, finishing at 31 under for the tournament.

South Carolina team members chase Hannah Darling with water as she celebrates her -14 win after the final round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 11, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

“A lot of people said that it was the wrong decision to not play in July, but deep down, I knew it was,” Darling said. “So, you know, I just trusted me. And all along, I’ve trusted me.”

That trust resulted in Darling bouncing back after a slow start Wednesday. She was 2 over after 5 holes, and her three-shot overnight lead was gone.

She made eagle on the par-5 ninth to tie the lead, then she chased Rydqvist for a majority of the back nine. In the group behind her teammate, Darling watched as Rydqvist made birdie after birdie of her own, so she knew she had to be aggressive.

When Rydqvist made par on the par-5 17th, it left an opportunity for Darling to one-up her teammate. She did that, and then she had 20 feet for eagle on the closing hole and needed just a birdie to win. She nearly holed the eagle, but the tap-in for birdie is a moment she’ll savor for a while.

“This is what it’s all about, watching, helping these kids grow and develop,” South Carolina coach Kalen Anderson said. “And we’ve been in a lot of conversations and some tough places, and it’s just amazing. I have the chills. I’m emotional. Couldn’t be any prouder of her right now, where she came from because it was tough.”

South Carolina’s Hannah Darling speaks during the awards ceremony as she celebrates her -14 win after the final round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 11, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

This was the 10th edition of the tournament, and the Gamecocks have won it four times. Rydqvist shot 6-under 66 in the final round, the best score of the day, and finished at 13 under for the week. Rydqvist was one of four co-medalists last year, but she’s not going home empty handed.

One player on the winning team at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate earns an exemption into the LPGA’s The ANNIKA Driven by Gainbridge in November. As a team, the Gamecocks decided to let Rydqvist have the exemption, one she earned for the second straight year.

“In my future, I hope there’s a lot of LPGA events,” Darling said. “And not that it’s not a great opportunity, it is. But also, you know, Louise has had a great summer. Louise was the obvious choice.”

South Carolina women’s golf head coach Kalen Anderson poses with Louise Rydqvist and Mike McGee during the awards ceremony after the final round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 11, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. South Carolina won with a score of -31 on the tournament.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

Sophomore Maylis Lamoure finished T-6 for South Carolina. Wake Forest senior Carolina Lopez-Chacarra was the only other player to reach double digits under par, finishing at 10 under for the week.

In the team competition, Oregon placed second at 4 under while No. 7 Wake Forest was third at 3 under. No. 14 Arizona State bounced back after a slow opening round and placed fourth. No. 16 Duke and No. 4 UCLA rounded out the top six, with those teams earning invitations back to the tournament in 2025.

Women’s college golf is entering its .500 era. How much will it change the sport?

The .500 rule is already forcing changes, even if subtle.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. — How much is the .500 rule going to change women’s college golf?

It depends on who you ask.

The NCAA competitions oversight committee approved the .500 rule for women’s college golf early last year, and the changes went into effect for the 2024-25 season. The .500 rule requires a team to finish the regular season with a .500 or better winning percentage head-to-head against other Div. I opponents to be eligible for regionals. The lone exception is if a team wins its conference title.

Div. I men’s college golf has had the .500 rule since 2007-08. And this year, women’s teams across the country are having to adjust to the significant change.

However, as to how much the rule will affect teams’ schedules, it depends on the school.

ANNIKA: Defending champion South Carolina builds big lead after two rounds at ANNIKA Intercollegiate

“We always try to play the toughest fields that we can, as long as they fit in our schedule,” Duke coach Dan Brooks, a seven-time national champion, said. “I like to play the very best tournaments we can.”

That was the sentiment for most coaches at the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate, one of the premier season-opening events in women’s college golf at Royal Golf Club outside of Minneapolis. Included in the 12-team field are defending national runners-up UCLA, No. 4 in the preseason rankings, 2023 national champions No. 7 Wake Forest, No. 11 Oregon, No. 12 and defending champion South Carolina, No. 14 Arizona State, No. 16 Duke, No. 22 Clemson and No. 23 UCF.

For most of these programs, they are talented enough that the .500 rule shouldn’t matter, meaning they won’t have to worry about their records come postseason time. But other teams are already taking measures to ensure there’s no question whether they can get into the NCAA postseason.

For example, one of the first events this season was the Tiger Classic, which Clemson hosted. The Tigers, which made match play last season at the NCAA Championship, were the only Power-4 team in the field. The rest of the 15 schools were mid-majors.

Clemson player Isabella Rawl warms up on the practice range before the first round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

The event was a one-day, 36-hole marathon that saw the Tigers finish third, beating 13 teams and losing to two. That means Clemson’s head-to-head record was 13-2 after the event. After two rounds at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, Clemson was in 11th. If that’s where the Tigers finished after the final round concluded Wednesday, their record will be 1-10.

The difference? Instead of starting the season behind the 8-ball, Clemson’s head-to-head record will be 14-12, or at worse, 13-13.

“If you’re not playing the best tournaments and the best fields week in and week out, you don’t have business being at regionals anyway,” said South Carolina coach Kalen Anderson, who is also on the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Committee. “To water down fields and do that, I understand the thought process behind it. But you know, it doesn’t do anybody any good not to compete against the best week in and week out and and have that experience.”

Schedule changes have been common for plenty of teams in the sport. While many of the top teams are still in the fields at the prestigious events, there have been some events that have been “watered down” or lacking as many top teams as they once did.

Emily Marron, UCF’s head coach and also a member of the Div. I committee, said her team’s excellent play last year got it into higher-level events this year, and she didn’t want to back down from the challenge.

“I was confident in my team, and I trusted in them, and we’re just going to not think about it too much and just see how we do the rest of the year,” Marron said. “Maybe more so next year we can make some adjustments, but again I want to keep it quality of teams we’re planning really high.”

University of Central Florida golfer Molly Smith tees off on the second hole during the first round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota. (Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

Most coaches agreed that it still being early in the first year of the .500 rule, they needed to get through a season to see how it would shake out. That’s especially the case for high-ranking programs that have a lot of new faces in the lineup, like Wake Forest.

“We’re still playing high-profile tournaments and, you know, does (the .500 rule) cross my mind? Yes,” Demon Deacons’ coach Kim Lewellen said. “Will it change some of my coaching tactics? Probably, which I’m going to have to now, maybe change a little bit of some of the things that I’ve done before. I want them to have the best experience, to provide the best experience, and so I want to make sure I’m still doing that.”

The .500 rule is here, and while its fingerprints may not be visible on women’s college golf quite yet, it’s something that’s going to be noticeable for the remainder of the year and into the future.

“Certainly, we need to be mindful of the .500 rule,” Oregon coach Derek Radley said. “We did add one new tournament in the spring, but for the most part, we’re gonna get after it. I think to be your best you gotta play against the best each and every week. I want to compete against the best.”

Defending champion South Carolina builds big lead after two rounds at ANNIKA Intercollegiate

South Carolina is well on its way to defending its title.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. — South Carolina is well on its way to defending its title.

The Gamecock women’s golf team was tied with 2023 national champion Wake Forest after the opening round in the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate at Royal Golf Club outside of Minneapolis, but following a breezy second round Tuesday, South Carolina has its sights set on hoisting the trophy again.

With the best round of the day by six shots, South Carolina sits at 19 under following two rounds at the ANNIKA, 17 strokes in front of Wake Forest with only one round left. And it’s a pair of senior leaders paving the way for the Gamecocks, perhaps the best duo in the nation in Hannah Darling and Louise Rydqvist.

More college golf: Annika Sorenstam plays football, hosts Q&A with players at her college event

“What I’m happy about is the maturity of this group right now,” coach Kalen Anderson said. “They’re just playing with a lot of poise and a lot of experience.”

Last year, the Gamecocks won the tournament for the third time in its ninth edition. If they were to win again Wednesday, it would give them 40 percent of the titles in the event’s history.

South Carolina golfer Louise Rydqvist tees off on the second hole during the first round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

Darling is the solo leader with 18 holes to go. Two weeks ago, she led the Great Britain and Ireland team to a win in the Curtis Cup, going 3-1 in the biennial competition. This week, she has been stellar, darting to 10 under after 36 holes to open up a three-shot lead on Rydqvist, who was a co-medalist last year.

Another thing up for grabs Wednesday is the exemption into the LPGA’s The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge. A member of the winning team will earn an exemption to play in the LPGA event, which Rydqvist earned last year.

And on Wednesday, she’ll have to catch her teammate to possibly earn the exemption again.

“I’m really happy to see Hannah playing really well,” Anderson said. “It’s great to come out here and have a fast start.”

Anderson said Rydqvist is not fully healthy, dealing with a minor back injury that has her swinging about 75 percent. Nevertheless, it hasn’t stopped her from being in control this week.

Duke University golfer Andie Smith tees off on the second hole during the first round of the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M at Royal Golf Club on September 09, 2024 in Lake Elmo, Minnesota.(Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)

The Gamecocks have the same starting five this year that won the team title last year. Maylis Lamoure, a sophomore, is also in the top 10 and T-6.

Wake Forest is the only other team under par, sitting at 2 under. Duke will play in the final pairing, sitting at 1 over as a team. Junior Andie Smith had the round of the tournament Tuesday, carding eight birdies en route to a 7-under 65. She was 14 shots better than her opening round.

Behind Darling and Rydqvist is Wake Forest’s Carolina Lopez-Chacarra at 6 under, and Iowa State’s Karisa Chul-Ak-Sorn sitting in fourth at 5 under.

Annika Sorenstam plays football, hosts Q&A with players at her college event, the ANNIKA Intercollegiate

The ANNIKA Intercollegiate is one of the premier events on the schedule.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. — It may be a season-opening event for most teams, but the ANNIKA Intercollegiate is a premier women’s college golf tournament.

Every year, the tournament kicks off the season in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, at Royal Golf Club, a course that was co-designed by Annika Sorenstam, who crafted the front nine, and Arnold Palmer, who designed the back. Plenty of the nation’s top teams make an appearance, and the list of individual champions is filled with stellar names.

Maria Fassi (twice), Rachel Kuehn, Lottie Woad, Patty Tavatanakit and others have conquered the tournament in past years, often predicting future success not only the remainder of the season but also for years to come.

In a fun twist to this year’s tournament, Annika Sorenstam, who makes an appearance each year, hosted a Q&A with players, coaches and select members Monday afternoon following the first round. Then, the tournament held a small party near the clubhouse, featuring games, food trucks and plenty of fun.

Even Sorenstam was out there playing football with players from numerous schools. The Hall of Famer isn’t just good at one sport, as you can see below.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_tq0gnO6aN/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

This year, the ANNIKA Intercollegiate also hired physical therapists to assist players with pre-round stretching and post-round recovery, a rarity at college events.

To no surprise, the ANNIKA Foundation continues to find ways to make its collegiate event one of the best in the country.

Here’s a look at some of the best photos from the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, from the Q&A to action on the course.

ANNIKA Intercollegiate: Oregon walk-on wins qualifier to play in premier women’s college golf event

Sonja Tang is having a good couple weeks.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. — Sonja Tang dreamed of playing at a Division I school. It’s why she decided to take a leap of faith.

Tang, from Vancouver, Canada, played the first three seasons of her college career at University of British Columbia, an NAIA school not far from home. An opportunity arose last summer for her to make that leap, and she transferred to Oregon.

However, she did so as a walk-on. There wasn’t a scholarship available for her, but it wasn’t going to stop her from chasing a lifelong dream.

On Monday, Tang was the first Oregon player to tee off in its season-opening tournament, the 2024 ANNIKA Intercollegiate at Royal Golf Club outside of Minneapolis. Tang, who played in only one event last year, the Ducks’ home tournament, won the qualifier last week to earn a spot in the lineup, a rarity for a walk-on in today’s climate of college golf.

“I really understood her drive, that she wants to be great,” Oregon coach Derek Radley said of his first interaction with Tang. “I said, it’s going to be tough to make the line up, you know. And she said, ‘Coach, I would just be thankful for the opportunity to be around great players, and hopefully I can get better each and every day, and I’m going to do everything I can to help this team.’

“How you say no to that?”

Tong shot 5-over 77 on Monday, a three-hole stretch on the back nine undoing what otherwise was a solid day at Royal Golf Club. She was Oregon’s drop score, but that’s far from anything that matters in a season-opening tournament.

The highlight of her day was a birdie on the closing par-5 18th.

“It was a tough back nine,” Tang said. “I misjudged a couple of pin positions, and then I ended up in pretty tricky positions. But I think finishing with a birdie was pretty cool.”

Oregon’s qualifying process is similar to most schools, where a couple of spots are up for grabs after the qualifier while the rest are coaches’ picks. And the finish was worth a start in the season-opening event.

Tang buried a 40-footer for par on the 16th hole before chipping in for birdie on the 17th to take the lead from Karen Tsuru. She held on, and she was in the lineup.

Left at home for the opener was Tiffany Huang, who was a major part of the lineup last season on a Ducks’ team that made the semifinals at the NCAA Championship.

However, the support from Tang’s teammates was cause for celebration.

“They were jumping up and down and hugging on her, you know, because she’s so nice and cares about everybody, and it was pretty special for her to have this opportunity,” Radley said.

Oregon sits in fifth as a team after the opening round, 14 shots behind co-leaders Wake Forest and South Carolina, the defending champion. Duke sophomore Katie Li fired an opening 6-under 66, including an eagle on the par-5 second, and leads by one over a big pack at 5 under.

A member from the winning team at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate will earn an exemption into the LPGA’s The ANNIKA in November.

South Carolina wins, four share medalist honors at 2023 Annika Intercollegiate

Four golfers shared medalist honors after a crazy finish in Minnesota.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. — Kiara Romero stood next to her coach, Derek Radley, on the side of the 18th green.

The freshman at Oregon just walked in a birdie putt on the final hole of her first college tournament. She had no idea where it put her on the leaderboard, but everyone else did.

It gave her a share of the lead.

Radley whispered to Romero that she had won. She threw her hands over her mouth as tears filled her eyes.

Romero was one of four who shared medalists honors Wednesday after the final round of the 2023 Annika Intercollegiate at Royal Golf Club. She, along with South Carolina’s Louise Rydqvist, Duke’s Phoebe Brinker and Florida State’s Lottie Woad all finished at 8-under 208 for the tournament, a grand start to the year at one of the deepest events in women’s college golf.

Oregon freshman Kiara Romero birdies her final hole to move to 8 under, which will give her a tie for medalist honors in her first tournament. South Carolina will win the team title #ANNIKAInter pic.twitter.com/jgDbjgQgxh

— Cameron Jourdan (@Cam_Jourdan) September 13, 2023

“I thought I was going to have to make an eagle on the last hole to get the win,” Romero said. “I just wanted to make birdie so I could be in the top three or something.”

However, the birdie was good enough to earn Romero, the 2023 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion, a college win in her first start.

It was also the first win for Rydqvist, a junior who had a 4-foot putt for birdie on 18 to win outright, but it slid by. Nevertheless, she’s not going home empty handed, as South Carolina won the team title at 26 under, beating Oregon by three strokes and defending event champion and national champion Wake Forest by four.

Rydqvist also earned a coveted exemption into the inaugural The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican taking place Nov. 6-12 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida. One player from the winning team earned a spot in the field, and Gamecocks’ coach Kalen Anderson chose Rydqvist, from Sweden, for the honor.

South Carolina’s Louise Rydqvist earned an exemption to the 2023 The Annika after her team won the 2023 Annika Intercollegiate. (Photo: Ben Adelberg/The Back of the Range)

“I think I need a minute because it hasn’t sunk in yet,” Rydqvist said. “It feels absolutely incredible. I can’t wait to get down there.”

The Annika, an official LPGA event, will offer a $3.25 million purse, one of the largest outside of the majors. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Annika Foundation.

Each of the four medalists shot 2-under 70s in the final round. Wake Forest’s Mimi Rhodes and South Carolina’s Maylis Lamoure, who were the 36-hole leaders, both missed birdie putts on the final hole to join the winners and finished at even-par 72.

For Woad, a sophomore, it’s the third win of her collegiate career. Brinker, a senior, won for the second time, including a win at the 2022 ACC Championship. She finished fourth last year at the Annika Intercollegiate and lost in a playoff at the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invite in the spring.

Meanwhile, South Carolina had a lead as big as 10 shots early in the final round, but it also shrunk to as small as one on the back nine. Two-time first-team All-American Hannah Darling and freshman Vairana Heck each made pivotal birdies down the stretch, as well as Rydqvist and Lamoure, to help South Carolina pull back away.

It’s the third time South Carolina has won the Annika Intercollegiate.

“It was awesome, what a great way to start the season,” Anderson said. “We had a really great qualifier, and it’s nice to see them come out and play great golf.”

Heck shot 4-under 68 on Wednesday, which tied the low round of the day, and finished T-9. Darling finished 17th at 3 under.

Thanks to a pair of 18th-hole eagles from Briana Chacon and Minori Nagano, Oregon moved into second place past defending champ Wake Forest. Freshman Macy Pate finished T-9 at 6 under for the Demon Deacons while Carol Chacarra tied for 15th at 5 under.

Chacon, Lamoure, Rhodes and Texas freshman Farah O’Keefe finished runner-up at 7 under.

[lawrence-auto-related count=4 category=1362]

Why this four-time Wake Forest All-American chose to come back for a fifth year

“I feel like another year of maturing and letting my game develop, I figured it could only do me some good.”

LAKE ELMO, Minn. — When reading Rachel Kuehn’s roster page on the Wake Forest website, it’s easy to get lost in the myriad accolades listed while scrolling.

A four-time All-America selection. Two-time Curtis Cup member. Four times on the Arnold Palmer Cup team. A national champion.

The resume is that of the greatest player in Wake Forest history. It’s a resume that’s on par with many of the best college golfers in the history of the sport.

Yet, even after four successful years representing the Demon Deacons, Kuehn is back as a graduate student for her fifth season. She began her season in Minnesota this week in the Annika Intercollegiate at Royal Golf Club.

She had opportunities to turn professional. Instead, she’s lugging her Wake Forest bag around and playing team golf one final season.

“I’ve just improved so much in my four years, I felt like it was a no-brainer coming back,” Kuehn said. “Professional golf is always going to be there. You get such a limited amount of time to play college golf and to play on a team like this. I love the girls, I love my coaches. My facilities at Wake are incredible. So I feel like another year of maturing and letting my game develop, I figured it could only do me some good.”

Last year, Kuehn became the sixth women’s golfer to be named the ACC Player of the Year in back-to-back seasons. She also set a program record for the lowest single-season scoring average in program history with a 70.53 average over 36 rounds played. She also won twice and went undefeated in match play at the NCAA Championship.

2023 NCAA Championship — The Wake Forest Demon Deacons celebrate with the trophy after winning the NCAA women’s Golf Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club on May 24, 2023, in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Even after playing lights out at Grayhawk Golf Club in May, there was never a question on Kuehn decision’s to come back.

“It was right after COVID hit,” Wake Forest coach Kim Lewellen said of Kuehn’s decision. “I asked her whether she would want to come back for a fifth year, and I think it took her about half a day.

“It’s outstanding to have Rachel back for so many reasons. She’s a leader. She’s you know, she just loves Wake Forest and she brings that energy for all of us.”

Heading into the final round of the Annika Intercollegiate, Wake Forest, the defending event champion, sits second at 18 under, three strokes behind South Carolina. Although Kuehn didn’t have the start to the season she wanted – she’s even-par after 36 holes – her leadership abilities are unquestioned.

Kuehn stood in the rain at the end of the round and went and welcomed each of her teammates who finished behind her and brought their bags from the green to the clubhouse. She prides herself on leading by example in every facet.

There’s a long season ahead between now and the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa in Carlsbad, California, come May, but Kuehn is eager for her last ride in college golf.

“I just want to use this year as a personal growth year in order to kind of get myself ready to turn professional next fall,” Kuehn said.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 tag=1694]

South Carolina in front, packed individual leaderboard among takeaways from second round of Annika Intercollegiate

Wednesday’s final round is shaping up to be spectacular.

LAKE ELMO, Minn. — The day started under cloudy skies and ended in light rain, but there was plenty of sunshine in between at Royal Golf Club on Tuesday during the second round of the Annika Intercollegiate.

One of the premier women’s college golf events on the calendar, the field at the Annika Intercollegiate is loaded. Defending national champion Wake Forest is also the defending tournament champion, and the Demon Deacons creeped closer to South Carolina after the second round. The Gamecocks remain in front after 36 holes.

Meanwhile, the race for the individual title is tight. There are nine players at or within two shots of the lead, meaning the title is up for grabs come Wednesday.

Here’s everything you need to know from the second round of the Annika Intercollegiate.

U.S. Girls’ Junior champ Kiara Romero starts college career off hot at Annika Intercollegiate

Kiara Romero had a stellar start to her college career

LAKE ELMO, Minn. — On Sunday, Oregon women’s golf coach Derek Radley had a conversation with Kiara Romero before the start of her collegiate career.

Romero, who won the U.S. Girls’ Junior this summer in Colorado and advanced to match play at the U.S. Women’s Amateur in California, has had success at numerous stages in her junior career. Radley told her she didn’t need to do anything different to replicate that at the college level.

Safe to say the talk paid off.

The freshman shot 5-under 67 on Monday at Royal Golf Club in the opening round of the 2023 Annika Intercollegiate and is tied for second. The tournament is one of the best in the country all season long, but in her first collegiate round, Romero stood out and finished strong, making birdies on three of her final four holes.

“I think when players move to the next level, they feel like they have to do something extra special,” Radley said. “I told her to just go be an athlete because she’s just so gifted.”

Oregon’s Kiara Romero at the 2023 Annika Intercollegiate. (Photo: Ben Adelberg/The Back of the Range)

Romero posted five birdies and no bogeys on a course that numerous players took advantage of. She is tied with San Jose State junior Lucia Lopez Ortega and South Carolina freshman Maylis Lamoure. South Carolina junior Louise Rydqvist birdied her final three holes to shoot 6-under 66. She holds the solo lead.

“(The U.S. Girls’ Junior) showed me I can compete and win against these girls,” Romero said. “Everything was pretty smooth out there today.”

Lopez Ortega’s round started incredibly with a hole-out eagle on the par-4 11th, her second hole of the round. She had 133 yards, to the hole and hit from the rough, up over trees, the ball landing on the right side of the green before funneling into the cup.

“I didn’t see it go in,” she said while laughing, “but it’s pretty nice.”

Last year’s individual champion, Virginia junior Amanda Sambach, shot 2-under 70 in her title defense.

However, it’s South Carolina in front in the team competition and with the leading individual. The Gamecocks shot 15 under and lead Wake Forest and San Jose State by four shots after the opening round.

“It’s definitely gettable out here,” South Carolina coach Kalen Anderson said. “We’ve got some long hitters, and the par 5s are pretty gettable for us.”

Lamoure shot 5-under 67 and Vairana Heck added a 3-under 69. Two-time first-team All-American Hannah Darling was the other counting score at 1 under for Anderson’s squad.

Wake Forest, the defending national champions and last year’s Annika Intercollegiate winners, is in great position after the first round. The Demon Deacons shot 9 under in the opening round, with Mimi Rhodes and Brooke Rivers each shooting 4 under.

LPGA exemption for inaugural The Annika on the line at 2023 Annika Intercollegiate in Minnesota

There’s going to be a lot on the line at the Annika Intercollegiate.

Come the beginning of the 2023-24 college golf season, there’s going to be a lot on the line at the Annika Intercollegiate.

Held at Royal Golf Club in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, the Annika Intercollegiate has quickly grown to be one of the premier women’s college golf events in the country. And this year, the stakes are even higher.

An LPGA tournament exemption to be awarded to a player from this year’s winning team. The exemption will allow one player to compete in the inaugural The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican taking place Nov. 6-12 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.

The Annika, an official LPGA event, will offer a $3.25 million purse, one of the largest outside of the majors. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit the Annika Foundation.

The 2023 Annika Intercollegiate presented by 3M takes place Sept. 10-13. This year’s tournament will see 12 top NCAA Division I women’s golf programs compete in a 54-hole, stroke-play event, including defending champions Wake Forest.

“This is one of the tournaments I look forward to most each year,” Annika Sorenstam said in a release. “It allows the Annika Foundation to advance its mission by providing an opportunity for talented golfers to compete and make connections. We are thrilled to raise the stakes this year by extending the winning team an LPGA tournament exemption, further cementing our event as a launch pad for the nation’s top programs and players.”

Other teams in the field include Duke, Florida State, Minnesota, Mississippi State, San Jose State, Oregon, Texas, South Carolina, Texas A&M and Virginia. The final team will be announced after the 2023 NCAA Championships.

Virginia sophomore Amanda Sambach won the individual title in the fall.

[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=]