Alabama Golf: Women’s team wins NCAA Regionals, advances to Finals

The Alabama golf, women’s team won the NCAA Tallahassee Regional and will advance to the NCAA National Championship Finals in Stillwater, OK.

Both Alabama golf teams could play for national championships this season. The women’s team qualified on Wednesday while winning the NCAA Tallahassee Regional. Each of the women’s regionals has 18 teams in a three-day event. The top six teams from each regional move on the National Finals.

The Crimson Tide women absolutely scorched the Par 72, Don Veller Seminole Golf Course. The Tide women entered post-conference, tournament play as the No. 2 ranked team in the nation, behind UCLA. The ladies finished the tournament at 33-under par. The second place finisher was Florida State at 25-under, followed by No. 7 ranked Furman at 18-under. The other three teams that advanced are Arizona, Washington and Wake Forest.

SEC schools who will not advance past Tallahassee are Georgia, Missouri, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. The National Finals will take place May 18-23 in Stillwater, OK. The format for the National Finals is 24 teams competing in 72 holes of stroke play, followed by the top eight teams competing in single-elimination match play. The Crimson Tide team qualified for the national Finals last season but finished No. 14 in the stroke play portion

Alabama women’s golf head coach, Mic Potter has led the team to three SEC championships in 2010, 2013 and 2016 and the National Championship in 2012. Speaking about the Regionals win, Potter said,

"We got off to a slow start and Florida State jumped out ahead of us early on. But we stayed patient and the birdies started to come. I think this was a good golf course for us because we drive the ball where we want to most of the time. That opens up some shots for us."

Lots of red numbers for the Tide

Four of the five competing Crimson Tide golfers finished the tournament under par. Lauren Stephenson led the way at 14-under with rounds of 67,69 and 66. Kristen Gillman followed at 10-under after rounds of 72, 68, 66. Cheyenne Knight was 7-under with 72, 68 and 69. Angelica Moresco was 1-under with rounds of 71, 71 and 73. Abe Lakareber finished 7-over with rounds of 76, 75 and 72.

Stephenson’s 14-under placed her second in the field of 96 players. Kristen Gillman was tied for fourth place and Cheyenne Knight finished in a tie for ninth place among the individual scores.

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Speculating on the Tide’s prospects at the National Finals, Potter said the Tide women can do very well “if we can continue to stay relaxed and if we can putt better.”