Michigan
NCAA Finals
Borja, Lau Advance as Wolverines Record Second Straight Top 20 Team Finish
5/22/2022 11:59:00 PM | Women's Golf
» With a championship best 300, Michigan closed its NCAA Finals appearance with a 911 54-hole total to post a second straight top 20 national finish.
» With back-to-back closing birdies, Ashley Lau posted a third-round 71 (-1) to tie for 20th (221) and advanced as an individual to the final round of stroke play.
» After tying for 34th (223), Hailey Borja's par on her first playoff hole (5-for-2) advanced her for a second straight year.
» Two of nine individuals, Borja tees off No. 10 at 12:01 p.m. MST, while Lau will be at 12:12 p.m. MST.
Site: Scottsdale, Arizona
Course: Grayhawk Golf Club (Par 72, 6,384 yards)
Tournament: NCAA Finals (Day 3 of 3)
U-M Team Standing: T-20th place of 24 Teams (301-310-300/911)
Top U-M Individual: Ashley Lau, tie-20th (72-78-71/221)
Next U-M Round: Monday, May 23 -- Borja, Lau at NCAA Finals - Final Round (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 12:01 p.m. MST/PDT (tee times)
• Results (PDF) | Photo Gallery
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- With back-to-back birdies on her final two holes, senior Ashley Lau's 71 (-1) secured her a spot for the NCAA Finals final stroke play round, while junior Hailey Borja's par on her first playoff hole advanced her for a second straight year today (Sunday, May 22) at the NCAA Finals. The Wolverine duo's tallies helped the 20th-ranked University of Michigan women's golf team post its championship best 300 and 911 54-hole total to earn the program's second straight top 20 national finish at the Grayhawk Golf Club.
After reaching the NCAA Finals for a second straight year, the Wolverines began with a 301 to position themselves tied for 12th after day one. Following a 310 in the second round, U-M fell into a tie for 20th. Needing to finish among the top 15 to advance, the Maize and Blue used the 71 (-1) from Lau and 75 (+3) from Borja and graduate student Ashley Kim -- in her final collegiate round -- to rebound with team tally of 300.
With a 911 54-hole team total, Michigan finished 20th for a second straight year at the NCAA Finals, missing the first cut by eight shots.
"There is some frustration (not advancing) as we could never really gather the momentum we needed this week," said U-M head coach Jan Dowling. "We just didn't have our best as a team. However, this has been the best season ever in Michigan women's golf history. Four team titles, five medalists, the first-ever Big Ten title, hosting a regional and advancing to a second straight NCAA Finals says so much about these young women. They have set a tone for the future and really put up a high bar. A.J. (Newell) and I are so proud of who these young women have become and what they have accomplished this season."
Despite missing the team cut, Lau and Borja will advance as individuals to the final round of stroke play. After a second-round 78, Lau entered the third round tied for 47th. She set her pace early and was one-under after eight holes before bogeying the ninth hole to turn even. A second bogey on the 14th hole had her one-over with four to go. Closing with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 17 and 18, she posted her 14th sub-par round of the season at 71 (-1) to jump 27 positions, tie for 20th and advance as an individual with a 221 (72-78-71) total.
"I'm very proud of the team for battling it out there today, even though we didn't advance as a team," said Lau "I'm still very proud of us. I can't wait to go out there for one last time and make Michigan proud. I need to also say I'm proud of Ashley Kim for playing her heart out in her last collegiate tournament and I wish her the best of luck in the future."
After becoming the first Wolverine to advance to the NCAA Finals fourth round last year, Borja made it two straight years after earning one of two spots in a playoff. After playing even through her first 11 holes, she fell off the pace with three bogeys in her final seven holes, yielding a 75 to give her a 223 total (72-76-75) and tie for 34th positioning. As final scores came in, Borja learned she was one of five players playing for two individual spots. After her approach in the playoff landed to four feet, she drained the putt, while the remaining players all bogeyed.
"Although we didn't make it as a team, I'm still so proud of this team," said Borja. "There is so much to remember. Even though I struggled on the greens I was still able to maintain my patience on the course. It will be strange not playing as a team, but I'm very excited for Ashley and I to come back out tomorrow and still represent the Block M."
"It's fitting for Ashley (Lau) and Hailey (Borja) to get another chance to play," said Dowling. "They have led this program in every way possible -- at home, on the road and in practice. Ashley had a solid round and for her to close with those two straight birdies says a lot about her competitive nature. Hailey just has ice in her veins. On a difficult opening playoff hole, she was on in three and drained a four-footer, while everyone else bogeyed. We are just thrilled to watch them tomorrow and to see where they can finish."
As for the rest of the Wolverines, sophomore Monet Chun tied for 100th (77-76-79/232), Kim tied for 114th (80-80-75/235) and junior Mikaela Schulz finished 123rd (80-84-80/244).
Team Standings (After Day 3 of 4)
1. Stanford 289-292-283 = 864 (E)
2. Oregon 297-288-288 = 873
3. Texas A&M 292-297-288 = 877
4. UCLA 295-291-292 = 878
5. Auburn 296-290-299 = 885
6. Florida State 296-295-296 = 887
7. LSU 296-291-301 = 888
San Jose State 307-296-285 = 888
9. USC 298-294-300 = 892
Georgia 303-291-298 = 892
11. Purdue 301-299-293 = 893
12. Arizona State 302-290-302 = 894
13. Texas 305-295-301 = 901
Virginia 304-299-298 = 901
15. Wake Forest 301-304-298 = 903
South Carolina 306-300-297 = 903
17. Mississippi State 299-306-300 = 905
18. Baylor 301-310-295 = 906
19. Oklahoma State 307-300-300 = 907
20. MICHIGAN 301-310-300 = 911
21. TCU 300-301-311 = 912
22. Vanderbilt 308-306-299 = 913
22. Arkansas 307-305-301 = 913
24. Alabama 298-316-302 = 916
Top Individuals
1. Rose Zhang, Stanford 68-70-69 = 207 (-9)
2. Jenny Bae, Georgia 76-71-67 = 214
Tze-Han Lin, Oregon 72-71-71 = 214
4. Natasha Andrea Oon, San Jose State 77-68-70 = 215
5. Sadie Englemann, Stanford 71-76-70 = 217
Jennie Park, Texas A&M 73-72-72 = 217
Ty Akabane, UCLA 71-74-72 = 217
Ingrid Lindblad, LSU 74-70-73 = 217
Beth Lillie, Virginia 73-69-75 = 217
Anna Morgan, Furman 72-71-74 = 217*
Michigan Individuals
T20. Ashley Lau 72-78-71 = 221 T34. Hailey Borja 72-76-75 = 223 T100. Monet Chun 77-76-79 = 232 T114. Ashley Kim 80-80-75 = 235 123. Mikaela Schulz 80-84-80 = 244 * playing as individual
Players Mentioned
