May 10, 2017

NCAA COLUMBUS REGIONAL
Final Results // Tournament Stats // Photo Gallery // Twitter

COLUMBUS, Ohio — South Carolina women’s golf rallied from eight shots back and captured its third-straight NCAA Regional Title Wednesday at OSU Golf Club. The No. 12 Gamecocks paced the field for the second-straight day, carding a final-round 288 (E) to finish tied with Florida atop the leaderboard at the Columbus Regional.

Carolina freshman Ana Pelaez’s impressive NCAA postseason debut resulted in medalist honors, as the Gamecock newcomer posted a final-round 70 (-2) en route to first-place honors. The Malaga, Spain, native totaled a three-round mark of 216 (E) to share the individual title with Florida’s Kelly Grassel, while Gamecock senior Katelyn Dambaugh and junior Ainhoa Olarra also grabbed top-five finishes at the 54-hole event at the Scarlet Course.

Wednesday’s victory marked the fifth regional title in eight years for the Gamecocks, who earned their eighth-straight trip to the NCAA Championship by virtue of their top-six finish. All five wins have come under coach Kalen Anderson.

No. 5 Florida State (891, +27) Ohio State (893, +29) and Purdue (904, +40) rounded out the top five spots, while Michigan (908, +44) marked the final school to advance to the NCAA Championship from the Columbus Regional.

The 2017 NCAA Championship will feature a 24-team field and take place May 19-24 at Rich Harvest Farm in Sugar Grove, Ill. This season will mark Carolina’s 17th appearance at the NCAA Championship and the ninth time it has reached the event under Anderson. The Gamecocks reached the match-play portion of the tournament for the first time in school history last year.

Pelaez was brilliant down the stretch Wednesday, tallying four of her five birdies after the turn. Birdies on Nos. 10 and 12 moved the freshman into a tie for first, and she grabbed the solo lead with another birdie on the par-5 14th. Pelaez stuck her tee shot on the difficult par-3 17th to within two feet before converting her final birdie of the day, and she finished her week at even after a bogey on No 18.

Dambaugh, the medalist at the 2016 NCAA Baton Regional, tied for third this week with a three-round mark of 217 (+1). She totaled five birdies on her round, including one on her final hole, the par-4 18th. Dambaugh’s 13 birdies for the tournament led the 96-player field.

Olarra, who placed in a tie for fifth, turned in her best performance of the tournament Wednesday, firing a 2-under 70 in the final round. She posted a back-nine 33 (-3) in a stretch that was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 14th. The junior added a birdie on No. 16, and amassed 11 pars for her round.

Carolina sophomore Marion Veysseyre finished tied for 61st with a 54-hole total of 236 (+20), and senior Jia Xin Yang tied for 82nd (244, +28). Yang notched two birdies over her final nine holes, while Veysseyre sunk a 20-foot putt on the par-5 14th to register an eagle.

Quoting Coach Kalen Anderson

Round Changer

Notable

• This season marked the second-straight year South Carolina and Florida shared an NCAA Regional Title.
• Carolina was the only school to have three golfers finish in the top five at the NCAA Columbus Regional.
• With her win, freshman Ana Pelaez became the 17th player in program history to capture medalist honors.
• Senior Katelyn Dambaugh has shot par or better in six of her last seven rounds in the NCAA Regionals.

Up Next

The Gamecocks open play at the 2017 NCAA Championship Fri., May 19, at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill. The six-day event includes two cuts during stroke play before the eight-team match-play bracket is determined.