ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Women’s golf shot a 1-over 289 in the final round and placed seventh at the Dick McGuire Invitational on Tuesday.
After being 24-over par through the opening two rounds on Monday, BYU in the last 18 holes carded the second best score of the day which was one stroke behind California State Fullerton. The Cougars drained 11 birdies on day two to help them climb up two spots on the leaderboard.
Sacramento State won the title scoring a 281-294-292–867 for the event finishing four shots ahead of second place at a total three-over par. Cal State Fullerton (294-289-288–871; +7) got second place and finished 10 strokes ahead of third-place South Alabama (293-286-302–881; +17).
BYU had two players finish top 25 in the 89-player field, Whitney Banz (73-74-73–220) and Nya Palmer (75-76-71–222). Banz’s 2.75 par 3 scoring average on the UNM Championship Course, tied for second best among players, assisted her in tying for 15th place with four-over par on her scorecard. The Salt Lake native knocked down three birdies in the closing round. In her first collegiate start, Palmer secured a tie for 23rd in the event. The freshman capped off her debut with a one-under par, the best round out of any of the rounds any Cougar shot. Palmer nearly went bogey-free by one and made two birdies on the day.
Senior Lily McCauley (75-77-72–224) concluded her final 18 holes with an even par finishing tied for 31st. McCauley sank 3 birdies on holes one, 12 and 18.
2025 Pan American Games participant Maria Jose “MJ” Barragan (76-76-73–225) shot 1-over par to put herself in a tie for 37th. Barragan drained two birdies in the concluding round.
Like Palmer, Ava Schroeder made her first start in her career and tallied a 76-75-77–228 which gives her 5-over par on Tuesday and 12-over par total. Schroeder finished tied for 49th in the player pool.
In their final round, individual competitors Kanyanol (Naji) Aramkul (75-74-76–225; +9) and Aadyn Long (77-74-77–228; +12) shot 4-over and 5-over par, respectively. Aramkul knocked down two birdies on the 12th and 14th holes. The sophomore tied for 37th while Long finished tied for 49th.