For the second consecutive year, the individual leaderboard at the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships shows a Spartan near the top as San José State sophomore Lucia Lopez Ortega shot a 1-under 71 on Monday to finish in a tie for second at the Grayhawk Golf Club.
- Lopez Ortega finished her four rounds at 9-under 279, tying for second with Catherine Park of Southern California.
- Lopez Ortega played the backside of the course first, starting the day on 10. She was 1-over through her first four holes before making birdies on 14 and 18 for a 1-under 35 over her first nine holes.
- She had a chance for eagle on 18 as she reached the green in two shots for the fourth consecutive round.
- She then made four pars on holes 1-4, a birdie and a par to go to 2-under through 15 holes.
- Misfortune found her the next two holes with back-to-back bogeys before making a great 30-foot putt for birdie on nine to end her day at 1-under 71.
- Lopez Ortega is the second consecutive Spartan to finish second in the individual standings after Natasha Andrea Oon was second at the 2022 championship.
- Kajsa Arwefjäll shot a 2-over 74 on Monday and finished tied for 18th at 2-under 286, her best finish at the NCAA Championships in three tries. She made birdies on par-5 holes 7 and 18.
- She is the only Spartan to play four rounds at the NCAA Championships each of the past three seasons.
- Arwefjäll played as an individual at the 2021 championship and advanced to the fourth round in a playoff that year. She finished tied for 36th that year.
- Last year, she helped the Spartans advance to match play and tied for 27th in the individual standings.