Junior Moa Svedenskiold prepares for her swing | UH Athletics
Junior Moa Svedenskiold secured a spot in the NCAA Championships with a clutch final-round performance, leading the Houston women’s golf team to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Columbus Regional this week.
Svedenskiold, who posted par or better in all three rounds, finished 2-under 214 at the Scarlet Course at Ohio State Golf Club.
Her consistency under pressure paid off late in the final round, as she edged SMU’s junior Emily Odwin with a decisive birdie on the par-3 17th to claim the top individual qualifying spot not on an advancing team.
With NCAA Championship stakes on the line Wednesday, Svedenskiold delivered once again.
Locked in a tight race with Odwin for the individual qualifier spot, she stayed composed through the final stretch. After matching pars on holes 15 and 16, her birdie on the 160-yard 17th hole gave her the edge. A steady par on 18 clinched her ticket to Carlsbad, Calif., for her first NCAA Championship appearance.
Saldana capped off a consistent tournament with her third consecutive 74 to finish tied for 26th at 222, while Kim ended tied for 28th at 224. Saint Germain shot a 230 and took 50th while Kang fired her best round of the week with a 71 to close her collegiate career.
The Cougars, ranked No. 26 nationally, wrapped up the 54-hole tournament with a team score of 886. This marked the second consecutive season Houston recorded its best NCAA Regional team finish under coach Lydia Lasprilla.
Steady start in Ohio
Svedenskiold opened the week with a 1-under 71 in Monday’s first round, overcoming an early bogey by stringing together birdies on holes 12, 13 and 16. A final birdie at the fourth hole helped her close the day tied for 13th.
Sophomore Maelynn Kim matched the team’s momentum with an even-par 72, also recording four birdies, including two over her final three holes, to sit tied for 17th.
Junior Alexa Saldana contributed a 74, while junior Natalie Saint Germain carded a 78. Freshman Annika Ishiyama, in her postseason debut, posted an 82. The Cougars ended the day tied for 10th overall at 295.
Rain, wind and a climb up the leaderboard
Fighting through cold rain and wind gusts up to 23 mph on Tuesday, Svedenskiold again led the charge with a second straight 71. Birdies on 7, 12, 14 and 15 offset a lone bogey as she climbed into a tie for fourth at 1-under 143.
Houston improved its position with a 301 team total, moving up to eighth place with a two-day total of 596, just four strokes outside the top five.
Saldana repeated her first-round 74 to sit tied for 21st at 148, while Kim posted a 78 and tied for 30th. Saint Germain added a 77 in 53rd and senior Hyeonji Kang, competing after sitting out the first round, shot 80 finishing the day in 66th.
Team and individual results
Kansas claimed the team title at 858, followed by Arkansas, Ohio State, UNLV and LSU, all earning advancement to the NCAA Championships.
Houston’s sixth-place finish outpaced several higher-ranked teams in the program’s postseason streak to 10 straight NCAA Regional appearances.
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“Moa Svedenskiold punches ticket to NCAA Championships, Houston finishes sixth at Columbus Regional” was originally posted on The Cougar