Golf: ‘Cats excel at the Old Course, bringing home both trophies and lasting memories

Men’s golf secured the team championship, and the women placed second, with sophomore Ashley Yun claiming the individual title.

The ‘Cats made their mark in Scotland with an impressive performance at the prestigious St. Andrews Links Collegiate. The men’s team captured the overall title by besting No. 12 Arizona, and the women’s team finished second, highlighted by Ashley Yun’s individual win.

The three-day event featured the first two rounds played at the Jubilee Course, with the final round taking place at the legendary Old Course. The tournament followed a stroke-play format for the first two days, with individual titles decided based on these rounds. For team competition, the top two stroke-play finishers advanced to a medal match play format, where teams competed over 18 holes, with the best overall score determining the winner for each match.

Men’s Golf

Fresh off a third-place finish at the Windon Memorial Classic in nearby Lake Forest, the Northwestern’s men’s team arrived in Scotland determined to continue their momentum. Facing a field that included Arizona, Howard, and St. Andrews, the ‘Cats claimed the team title by defeating Arizona in medal match play.

In the opening round, Northwestern shot 1-over as a team, led by sophomores Niall Shiels-Donegan and Archie Finnie, who both posted 1-under rounds. NU ended the day four shots behind Arizona, but strong individual performances set the stage for a thrilling finish.

Day two proved to be more challenging, with the team carding a 5-over round. Senior Cameron Adam, an Edinburgh native playing just an hour from his hometown, got off to a blistering start. He rolled in five birdies and was 5-under through 12 holes, drawing on the support of local fans, including his family, who were watching him compete in person for the first time during his collegiate career. However, two late bogeys in his final three holes dropped him to 3-under for the day. Shiels-Donegan remained in contention for the individual title but, like Adam, stumbled down the stretch. Despite these setbacks, Northwestern remained in second place heading into the match-play portion of the tournament.

In the individual competition, Adam finished in a tie for second place at 3-under, while Shiels-Donegan ended up tied for eighth after making more birdies than anyone else in the field over the two days of stroke play. Adam’s stellar play on par-4s, where he led the field at 1-under, showcased his consistency and ability to capitalize on scoring opportunities. Junior Daniel Svärd’s two-day total of 141, fueled by eight birdies, earned him a fifth-place finish, while Finnie’s seventh-place result marked the best of his young collegiate career. Junior Akshay Anand also tied for eighth with rounds of 71 and 72, showing great composure throughout the event, and junior Ethan Tseng finished 15th, contributing six birdies to the team effort.

In medal match play, Northwestern took down No. 12 Arizona 4.5-1.5. Finnie, in the opening match, went back and forth with Arizona’s Johnny Walker before securing a clutch up-and-down over the famed “valley of sin” to halve the match. In the second match, Tseng played well and held an early lead but faltered on holes 10 and 11, ultimately losing to Griffin Rhoads by two strokes. Anand then gave NU a key point, cruising to a four-stroke victory over Matej Baca.

Shiels-Donegan and Arizona’s Zach Pollo, the individual stroke play champion, also played a quality match. On the 18th, with the match on the line, Shiels-Donegan delivered the decisive blow—a perfectly struck approach shot that nestled close to the pin, setting up a tap-in birdie. His clutch finish sealed a two-shot victory with a 3-under round, capping off a standout performance.

The penultimate match between Svärd and Tiger Christensen was a heavyweight bout, with Svärd ranked 45th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and Christensen ranked 31st. Down by two strokes heading into the 14th hole, Svärd clawed his way back with a par on 14 and a long birdie putt on 15, tying the match. He then took the lead on 17 and finished with a 3-under round, winning by one stroke and securing the title for Northwestern.

Cameron Adam played the round of the day for NU. Facing Filip Jakubcik, the 35th-ranked amateur, Adam showcased some of his best golf of the week. He remained calm and focused, trading shots with Jakubcik throughout the match before taking control in the final stretch. His terrific putting, particularly on the last hole, clinched a two-stroke victory, putting the finishing touches on Northwestern’s team win.

It was a phenomenal tournament for Northwestern, and the team’s first win of the season. They now turn their focus to their final fall event in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on October 28-29, aiming to build on this momentum.

Women’s Golf

After a fourth place finish at the Windy City Collegiate Classic, the ‘Cats also made the long journey to Scotland for the St. Andrews Links Collegiate. Northwestern, currently ranked 6th in the country, competed in a four-team field with Arizona, St. Andrews and Howard. The team finished second overall in the team competition, highlighted by sophomore Ashley Yun’s impressive individual title in stroke play.

Northwestern started the tournament with a strong showing, shooting 1-under as a team on the opening day. Yun led the charge with a 3-under 69, making five birdies along the way. First-year Elise Lee and senior Lauryn Nguyen also posted even-par rounds, putting NU in command with a six-shot lead over the field.

Conditions worsened on day two, with temperatures dropping and winds picking up, making the course play more challenging. The Wildcats shot 5-over as a team, but Yun maintained her form, carding a 2-under 70 to secure her first collegiate title. Yun’s steady play was highlighted by her dominance on the par-5s, where she shot 5-under for the tournament, and her ability to limit mistakes, making just two bogeys across the two days. Northwestern, because it finished first at the conclusion of stroke-play, moved into the championship match against Arizona.

Individually, sophomore Ashley Yun led Northwestern with an outstanding performance, capturing the stroke-play title—her first collegiate win—thanks to back-to-back under-par rounds. Dianna Lee also played well, excelling on the par-5s like Yun, where she went 4-under for the event and tied for third place. Elise Lee matched Dianna Lee’s impressive play, finishing tied for third with consecutive even-par rounds and sinking six birdies along the way.

Senior Lauryn Nguyen delivered a steady first round, carding 16 pars, a birdie, and a bogey for an even-par 72 before finishing seventh overall after a second-round 75. First-year Hsin Tai Lin had a strong 36 holes, tying for seventh with a standout eagle on the par-5 6th hole during round one, while junior Jiayi Wang rounded out the lineup, finishing 17th after posting a 3-over opening round.

In medal match play, Arizona defeated Northwestern 4.5-1.5, though the scoreline didn’t fully reflect the competitiveness of the matches. NU held leads in five of the six matches at various points but were unable to close them out. Dianna Lee got off to a scorching start, shooting 3-under through five holes, but ultimately fell by five strokes to Nena Wongthanavimok.

Tai Lin led by three strokes against Lilas Pinthier, but a costly double bogey on the 18th hole flipped the result, with Pinthier winning by two. Elise Lee, Nguyen, and Wang all tied their matches, each playing solid golf but unable to hold onto late leads. Yun, facing one of the hottest players of the tournament, Charlotte Back, was unable to match Back’s incredible 6-under 66, the lowest score of the week by any player, male or female.

Despite the disappointing final day, Northwestern women’s golf can look back on a successful fall season, with second, third, and fourth-place results in its three events. The team now enters the winter break before returning to action at the Purdue Puerto Rico Classic from February 2-4, where they’ll aim to continue their strong form and make another deep run in the spring season.

Competing at the Old Course was a historic moment for the ‘Cats, a tournament they will always remember. This unforgettable experience not only solidified the players’ growth but also provided fans with thrilling moments to cherish.