CARLSBAD, Calif. — Sophomore Ava Merrill finished tied for 14th at the NCAA National Championship, marking the best finish by a Vanderbilt women’s golfer since Marina Alex tied for 14th in 2012. Merrill carded a 1-under 71 in her fourth trip around the North Course at Omni La Costa Resort & Spa.
Merrill becomes just the sixth Commodore women’s golfer to ever finish in the top 15 at the NCAA Championship. She finished the four round stroke play event at 2-under-par. She tied for the third-best performance among SEC representatives in the individual championship.
Merrill opened the final round with back-to-back birdies on holes No. 10 and 11 to reach 3-under. Trouble found the sophomore on the 15th, as Merrill’s drive landed in the fairway bunker, leading to a double bogey to push her over par on the day. She responded with birdies on 16 and 18 to reach the turn at even par.
On the front side of the North Course, Merrill created a bit of magic on the par-5 sixth. After sending her second shot into the greenside fringe, Merrill chipped her third shot in for eagle. It was just the third eagle on the sixth in the entire tournament.
Merrill joins the aforementioned Alex, Anna Leigh Keith, Brooke Goodwin, Jacqui Concolino and Sara Jacobs as Commodores to finish in the top 15 at the national championship. Merrill is the youngest Commodore to ever reach the top 15, doing so in her second season in Nashville.
