UCLA women’s golf advances to NCAA finals after 4th place finish at NCAA regionals
Junior Zoe Antoinette Campos follows through on her swing. (Courtesy of Lucas Peltier/UCLA Athletics)
Women's Golf
NCAA Regionals
4th place (12, 876)
By Sabrina Baker
May 9, 2024 12:50 p.m.
This post was updated May 10 at 12:36 a.m.
It’s hard to strike it rich in Las Vegas.
It’s even harder to do it twice.
But for Zoe Antoinette Campos, winning in Sin City has become second nature.
The junior claimed her second individual title with a 6-under 210 at the Spanish Trail Country Club in Las Vegas during the NCAA regionals. Campos’ tie for first also pushed No. 1 seed UCLA women’s golf into a fourth place finish at 12-over 876, 12 strokes behind first place No. 2 seed Arkansas and good enough to advance to the NCAA finals.
Campos was in second or third place through much of the third round, but a birdie on the 18th hole pushed her into the tie for first alongside Arkansas’ Kajal Mistry.
“I kind of knew throughout the whole round what the scores were, and I was playing with the girl from Arkansas too,” Campos said. “So I knew I needed to birdie the last hole and make that putt. It was such a relief that I did.”
Just over two months ago, Campos shot 7-under 209 at The Show – also at the Spanish Trail Country Club – where both she and the Bruins placed first overall with a score of 6-under 858.
Coach Alicia Um Holmes said the course felt completely different the second time around.
“When we played in March, it was dormant, so a lot of the grass was dry. The greens were firmer, and there was no rough or anything like that,” Um Holmes said. “This time, it was really green and really nice, but at the same time, the greens were much more fast than previously. Plus the winds were a lot stronger.”
The Bruins saw one other top-20 finisher in junior Caroline Canales, who carded a score of 4-over 220, landing her a tie for 18th place.
Much like Campos, Canales’ individual score only increased by one stroke between The Show and NCAA regionals.
“Just knowing a few months ago I was able to win there,” Campos said. “And then coming back, I had some confidence with the course.”
From the Las Vegas regional, the advancing pack will include UCLA, Arkansas, No. 4 seed Florida State, No. 6 seed Purdue and No. 7 seed Baylor.
Um Holmes has yet to strategize the team’s preparation for the championship.
“I asked all the girls to tell me what they need to do to be most prepared for next week,” Um Holmes said. “Based upon what their answers are, we are going to formulate a game plan for practice.”
