CARLSBAD, CALIFORNIA – Adela Cernousek of Texas A&M has proven to be a model of consistency, posting three consecutive rounds of 68 to fuel her rise to the top of the individual leaderboard and her team to the lead by one stroke after three rounds of the 2024 NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships being played on the North Course at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa (6,330 yards/par 72).
On Sunday, Texas A&M posted a one-over-par 289, which is good enough for a one-stroke lead over Stanford in the 72-hole championship. Texas A&M sits at 10-under-par after 54 holes. Final round play on Monday will determine seeding for the eight teams advancing to match play, with the individual champion also crowned.
The other 13 teams joining Texas A&M and Stanford for the fourth and final round of stroke play include LSU, Clemson, Northwestern, UCLA, Oregon, Auburn, Arkansas, Southern California, Duke, Wake Forest, Mississippi State, Texas and Florida State. The 15 schools advancing to Monday will be joined by the low nine individuals on non-advancing teams. Teams competing on Monday will be vying for one of the eight match-play seed positions. The team national champion will be determined by a match-play format that will consist of quarterfinals and semifinals conducted on Tuesday, May 21, followed by the finals on Wednesday, May 22.
👉 RESULTS: Team Leaderboard | Individual Leaderboard | Fourth Round Pairings
Cernousek, a junior from Antibes, France, is on the verge of setting several NCAA championship records and is attempting to become the first Texas A&M player to win the NCAA individual championship. Currently sitting at 12-under-par and six strokes in the lead over Lottie Woad of Florida State, Cernousek was only one stroke shy of the all-time championship record for three rounds, which is 13-under-par by Virginia Elena Carta of Duke in 2016. The championship record for four rounds is 16-under-par, also by Elena Carta in 2016. The all-time largest margin of victory by an individual in championship history is eight strokes by Elena Carta in 2016.
“I was excited with the early tee time today as knew the greens would be softer and that there would be less wind to deal with,” said Cernousek, who is looking to record her first collegiate victory. “The most important thing to me is how our team is playing. We all believe in ourselves and feel like we are all capable of posting a great round each time out. Feel like the want is there and everything is lined up for success.”
Cernousek’s 54-hole total (204) is the third-lowest score in program history. Earlier this week on May 14 she won the U.S. Open Qualifier at the Golfcrest Country Club in Pearland, Texas, securing a spot at the 79th U.S. Women's Open Championship to be played May 30-June 2.
“She is really good,” said Texas A&M Head Coach Gerrod Chadwell of Cernousek. “She has had a really good last two years. Her match-play record is phenomenal. She hasn’t put a lot of trophies in the trophy case, but she has consistently been right there. She has slept on a few overnight leads this year and has been really close. I think the U.S. Women’s Open finally punching that through probably gave her the confidence she needs.”
Stanford, which was the only team in the field to post an under-par round on Sunday, trimmed four strokes off of the Texas A&M team advantage. The Cardinal posted its third consecutive round of 285 and is 9-under-par for the championship.
“It was more of the same today,” said Stanford Head Coach Anne Walker. “It was so disciplined, committed, a lot of patience and no quit. The golf course got way more challenging today. The wind picking up. The greens are firming up. Hole locations were tougher and green speeds were faster. I think it all led to a challenge that was a significant degree up today.”
Cardinal freshman Paula Martin Sampedro fired a 2-under-par 70 on Sunday, with all three of her NCAA championship rounds having been under par. For her freshman season, Sampedro has posted par or better scores in 23 of her 27 rounds. This marks the fourth time this year that her first three rounds of a tournament have all been par or better.
🏆 2024 DI WOMEN'S GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP: Schedule, results
“Just a little disappointed from a competitive standpoint with our finish,” said Chadwell about his team. “It wasn’t bad, it’s not easy out there. We left some shots out there with the putter. We really got it going. If you told me we would be leading after 54 holes I would be tickled pink.”
The scoring average for today’s third round was 76.44. By comparison, Friday’s scoring average was 74.10 and Saturday’s scoring average was 75.17.
The fourth round of the championship will tee off on Monday, May 20 at 10:30 a.m. PST at La Costa. Golf Channel and Peacock coverage of the championship begins Monday, with the final round of stroke play and the crowning of the individual champion broadcast live beginning at 6 p.m. EST.
