Buffs Wrap Up Season At NCAA Regional
CLE ELUM, Wash. — The 2023-24 Colorado women's golf season came to and end with the conclusion of the NCAA Cle Elum Regional on Wednesday at the Tumble Creek Club.
Graduate senior Sabrina Iqbal wrapped up storied five-year collegiate career finishing in a six-way tie for 24th place at 9-over 225 after a 76 on Wednesday. Morgan Miller completed a record-setting sophomore season placing 60th overall at 23-over 239 following an 82 in the final round.
Both Buffaloes struggled early in the final round, battling through a challenging day in cool and windy conditions. Iqbal was 5 over through six, but played the next 11 holes at 2 under with birdies on a pair of par 5s at the eighth and 15th before closing with a bogey at the 18th. Miller, continuing to play through a knee injury that kept her out of the Pac-12 Championships, never quite got on track finishing with her high round of the season.
"Sabrina and Morgan had a rough start this morning," Colorado head coach Anne Kelly said. "Sabrina steady herself and played solid golf for the rest of the round. Morgan unfortunately really struggled just to finish the event as her nagging injury really hampered her swing. But there is no quit in her and she pushed through to finish."
Iqbal, who played in her fourth NCAA Regional, now turns her sights to the EPSON Tour and is scheduled to make her professional debut at the Copper Rock Championship, May 16-18, in Hurricane, Utah.
Miller, appearing in her first NCAA Regional, capped off one of the top seasons in team history, setting records for rounds in the 60s (seven) and fall season marks for stroke average (70.40) and score in relation to par (-1.40).
The final round also marked the last event for Kelly, who is retiring after 27 seasons as Colorado's head coach. Associate head coach Madeleine Sheils will officially take over the program this summer.
Top-ranked Stanford ran away with the team title at 17-under 847, a whopping 18 strokes ahead of second place, No. 11 Duke. No. 24 Virginia (+12, 276), No. 13 Arizona State (+21, 885) and No. 25 San Jose State (+23, 887) round out the five teams heading to the NCAA Championships, May 17-22, in Carlsbad, Calif.
Stanford golfers took the top four spots in the individual race, led by medalist Rachel Heck at 8-under 208. Long Beach State's Jasmine Leovao shot 2-over 218 to claim the individual spot into the national finals.