In a tension-filled showdown on the greens of La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, Northwestern University's women's golf team wrote a new chapter in their history books. Junior Dianna Lee nailed a decisive 4-foot putt on the 18th hole, delivering a stunning 1 up victory over Stanford's Andrea Revuelta and securing the Wildcats' inaugural women's golf national title.
The odds were against Northwestern as they faced top-seeded Stanford, the reigning champions who dominated the stroke-play section by a whopping 21 shots. However, the Wildcats overcame the challenge with grit and determination, causing an upset with a 3-2 scoreline.
Coach Emily Fletcher expressed the spirit of the team eloquently: “More than doing what people didn’t think you could is this group believing what it thought it could do.”
The duel commenced with Stanford's Megha Ganne setting the pace, overpowering Northwestern's Ashley Yun, 5 and 4. The Wildcats, ranked as the No. 3 seed, rallied back with pivotal wins. Hsin Tai Lin defeated Meja Ortengren, 3 and 2, while senior Lauryn Nguyen triumphed over Paula Martin Sampedro, 1 up, providing Northwestern with critical momentum.
Stanford's determination was evident when Kelly Xu clawed back to a 1-up win against Elise Lee, leveling the overall match score.
The championship came down to a nail-biting battle between Dianna Lee and Stanford's promising freshman, Revuelta. Lee, initially 3 up through 13 holes, encountered tension as Revuelta made a late surge with notable shots, including a clutch 15-foot birdie on the 15th.
Drama escalated on the final three holes as both players faltered on the 16th, each bogeying the par-3, and matched pars on the 17th, with Lee narrowly missing a decisive putt.
In a script reminiscent of Tuesday's semifinal against Oregon's Kiara Romero, where Lee overcame a dwindling late lead, she approached the par-5 18th. Her 18-foot birdie attempt grazed the hole before stopping 4 feet away, setting the stage for her ultimate moment of triumph.
Revuelta couldn't seize the opportunity either, leaving her birdie attempt short and opening the door for Lee to seal the championship. As Lee's final putt sank, she surged into her teammates' embrace, marking a monumental victory for Northwestern.
The triumph echoes Northwestern's belief in themselves and highlights the unpredictable beauty of match-play golf.
