Northwestern captured its third consecutive Chevron Silverado Showdown title, with Lauryn Nguyen earning her second collegiate victory
Following a runner-up finish at the PING/ASU Invitational, the Wildcats headed to Napa, California aiming for a three-peat at the Chevron Silverado Showdown. The field featured strong competition, including three top-10 programs, with Northwestern entering the week ranked No. 10. Rising to the occasion, the ’Cats delivered a stellar performance, edging out No. 7 USC by a single stroke.
Their tournament-best final round of 5-under proved the difference in the comeback win. Lauryn Nguyen led the charge, carding a 3-under in the final round to secure the individual title—her second career collegiate win.
In the opening round, Northwestern posted a 1-under team score and took an early lead in the tournament. Nguyen and Ashley Yun paced the ‘Cats with impressive rounds, as Nguyen shot a 2-under and Yun followed with a 1-under result. Nguyen recorded four birdies, while Yun delivered a bogey-free round. Their performances placed Nguyen in second and Yun in fifth on the individual leaderboard after 18 holes.
In round two, Northwestern carded a 3-over team score, dropping to third place behind USC and Iowa State. Despite the slide, the ‘Cats remained just two strokes off the lead and well within striking distance. Nguyen remained the standout, firing a brilliant 4-under round to become the sole Wildcat under par and vaulting into first place individually. With the team just two shots back and Nguyen leading the individual race, Northwestern was well-positioned for a potential sweep and a strong finish to the tournament.
In the final round, the Wildcats delivered their best performance of the tournament, carding a 5-under team score to surge past Iowa State and USC and clinch the title. Nguyen once again led the way with a 3-under round, while Hsin Tai Lin turned in her best round of the week at 2-under. Nguyen’s steady play earned her the individual title—her second career collegiate win—capping off an impressive day for Northwestern.
The Silverado course proved to be a tough test, averaging 75.12 on the par-72 layout. The opening round was the most challenging, with players averaging 75.52. Only two holes—the par-5 9th and 18th—played under par across all three rounds. The par-4 6th was the most difficult, averaging 0.6 strokes over par, yielding just 12 birdies while producing 33 double bogeys or worse. Northwestern separated itself on the par-5s, shooting a combined 14-under, and also led the field in par-4 scoring with an average of 4.10.
Individually, Nguyen led the way for Northwestern, finishing at 9-under and capturing the individual title with a commanding four-stroke margin. She was the only player in the field to post all three rounds under par, carding scores of 70, 68 and 69. The senior was particularly strong on par-4s, leading the field with an average of 3.83.
Yun and Tai Lin also delivered quality performances. Yun opened with her best round of the week, a 1-under 71, and followed with steady rounds of 73 and 72 to finish even-par and place 11th. Tai Lin saved her best for last, closing with a 2-under round and finishing 1-over for the tournament, good for 17th place. She ranked 12th in the field in par-5 scoring, going 3-under across those holes for the week.
Dianna Lee, Elise Lee and Megan Meng also competed for NU. Lee—coming off her first collegiate win—posted her best score with a 1-over 73 in round one and finished in a tie for 39th. Lee, fresh off a historic 14th-place finish at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur—the highest result ever by a Northwestern player—carded an even-par final round to place 51st. Meng’s best round also came on the final day, where she shot a 74 and finished in 75th.
Northwestern will return to action April 18–20 as postseason play begins with the Big Ten Championships in Maryland. The Wildcats will look to carry their momentum into the conference tournament.