After a year of battles and fatigue, of falls and victories, and above all, of many joys for Spanish women’s golf, the Nationals have already begun. The definitive event of American collegiate golf has started and until next Wednesday will decide the best player of the year, as well as the best university. Eleven Spaniards are fighting for the highest collegiate honour: the NCAA title.
The finals have already begun with three days of stroke play, from Friday to Sunday (54 holes), after which there will be a first cut. The top 15 universities and the top nine individual players not part of any qualified team will be determined.
Next, a final day of 18 holes still in stroke play format will determine the top eight teams that will advance to match play and the individual champion of the year. The national team champion will be determined through a match-play format consisting of quarter-finals and semi-finals on Tuesday, followed by the finals on Wednesday.
As we say, eleven Spanish players are present in Carlsbad. A real frenzy that demonstrates the great year of our players, in fact, they reach the final event just after our girls took the individual trophy in three of the seven Regionals.
It is for this reason and, due to the expectations they have created with their play, that the dream start in Carlsbad has not been experienced. None of ours have made it into the top ten after the first 18 holes. However, there is plenty of room to dream that ours will take the double individual and team crown. As they acknowledge and call themselves, they are true fighters and do not doubt that they have an arsenal prepared for the coming days.
Individually, the best Spaniard at this start has been Paula de Francisco (-1). The one from Florida is performing at a high level and recently came close to her first victory, finishing second in the Regional. A card of 71 strokes at the start to place 17th and just four strokes behind Bailey Davis, the tournament’s first leader. Paula had a more than solid day with 17 pars and a solitary birdie. No blemishes on the scorecard, which is always good news.
One stroke behind is the 2025 ANWA champion, Carla Bernat (PAR). The one from Castellón had a somewhat erratic first day. She was playing very well and was three under par, however, two fateful holes, 12 and 13, resulted in a bogey and a double bogey, hindering her round and bringing her back to par.
The girls from Stanford have not had the dream start, but they cannot be ruled out in any contest. Paula Martín handed in a card of 73 strokes and Andrea Revuelta (+2) 74 and occupy the 46th and 64th positions, respectively. Alongside Andrea is Rocio Tejedo (+2).
Carolina Chacarra (+3) arrived in California in great form after her top ten in Augusta, her victory in the Regionals, and qualifying for the US Open, but she has not been able to confirm those good feelings on the Californian course. A round of 75 strokes to start her last Nationals.
Paula Balanzategui (+3), Alexandra Vidal (+4), Martina López Lanchares (+6) complete the performances of the Spaniards after the first day as both Julia Ballester (Kansas State) and Ana Pina (Mississippi State) have been substitutes in this first round and will seek their opportunity in the coming days.
Although there are still two rounds left for the first cut of the top fifteen universities, at the moment the news in this section is very positive. Florida (E), Kansas State (+1), Tennessee (+3), LSU (+5) Stanford (+5), Michigan State (+6), Mississippi State (+6) are among the top fifteen at the start. Only Wake Forest (+16) with Carol and Iowa with Alexandra Vidal (+18) would be left out of the first cut.
