AU's Yoko qualifies for nationals with ninth-place finish in Vanderbilt regional
By Chris Rickerson | Sports editor
Augusta University women’s golfer Natalia Yoko qualified for the NCAA national championships after tying for ninth at the Vanderbilt regional championship on Wednesday, May 11, in Franklin, Tenn., at Vanderbilt Legends Club.
Yoko, the senior from Indonesia, had the top finish for the Jaguars. She was tied for ninth at 3-under-par. She finished with four birdies and five bogeys, shooting a 1-over-par 73 in her final round.
Yoko got her first win in her collegiate career as a Jaguar earlier this season on AU’s home course of Forest Hills Golf Club in the Valspar Invitational. She will now compete as an individual in the NCAA national championships on May 20-25 in Scottsdale, Ariz.
This marks the first time in school history AU will be represented in the women’s NCAA Division I national tournament.
The Jaguars finished in ninth place as a team at the regional, which will not qualify them as a team for the national championships.
Napabhach Boon-In finished solo 14th, shooting 1 under par for the tournament. After shooting even par the first two rounds, she had five birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey, shooting a 1-under-par 71 in the final round.
Chloe Holder finished 50th, Kennedy Carroll 58th for AU and Nicole Page 63rd.
NCAA Regional host Vanderbilt won the tournament at 16-under-par. The University of Alabama finished second, shooting 8-under-par for the tournament. Both teams will qualify for the NCAA National Championship. The Crimson Tide’s Polly Mack won the individual title at 12-under-par.
The NCAA Championship will take place May 20-25 in Scottsdale, Ariz., at the Grayhawk Golf Club.
Contact Chris Rickerson at crickerson@augusta.edu.
Napabhach Boon-In tees off for the Jaguars. At the top of the page, Natalia Yoko’s ninth-place finish in the Vanderbilt regional earns her a spot in the NCAA Division I Championship. That’s a first in program history. (photos by Nick Hessler, special to the Bell Ringer)
