Cernousek Is NCAA Women's Medalist; Stanford Is No. 1 Seed

CARLSBAD, Calif. -- In nearly three years at Texas A&M, Adela Cernousek had never won a tournament. She made up for that on Monday by winning the biggest tournament of the college season -- the 2024 NCAA Women's Division I Championships.

The junior from Antibes, France, puf together three consecutive rounds of 4-under-par 68s during the first three days of the tournament on the La Costa Champions Course, which surrendered no other rounds in the 60s on Sunday, and not all that many rounds in the 60s on either of the first two days, for that matter. That gave her a six-stroke lead, and that was more than enough of a cushion on Monday. She closed with a 72, putting her 72-hole total at 276 (minus 12), and won by three over Florida State sophomore Lottie Woad.

Woad was the only one of the 84 players who made the cut on Sunday to break 70 on Monday. Her aggregate of 279 was three clear of Stanford's Paula Martin Sampedro, who shot 70 and finished third.

Cernousek had one birdie and one bogey on each nine. She also had a little luck on her side, hitting one tee shot so far right that she was on the far side of a water hazard. Nevertheless, she managed to win despite violating one of the Cardinal Rules of bigtime tournament golf -- take advantage of the par 5s. Cernousek not only didn't birdie any of the four par 5s at the Champions Course on Monday, she bogeyed two of them. But she was 11 under on the par 3s and 4s for four rounds.

With Cernousek leading the way, Texas A&M led after two rounds, and was tied with Stanford for first in the team standings going into Monday's final round. That was when the Aggies, other than Cernousek, pretty much disappeared.

LSU filled the void. Even though the Tigers' Ingrid Lindblad, the No. 1 player in the national rankings, was missing in action after a first-round 73. -- she followed that with an 81 -- LSU was able to post the best combined score over the last two days and rallied to tie Stanford for first. Both teams ended up at 1154, 2 over par. Stanford got the No. 1 seed, and will play No. 8 Auburn in the quarterfinals Tuesday morning. As the No. 2 seed, LSU will take on No. 7 Oregon.

In the other two matches, No. 3 A&M will play No. 7 UCLA, and No. 4 Southern Cal will face No. 5 Clemson.


NCAA Women's Championships

At La Costa Champions Course

Par 72, 6,297 yards

Carlsbad, Calif.

Final stroke-play results (individual standings are final; the top 8 teams advance to match play)

1. Adela Cernousek, Texas A&M 68-68-68-72--276 (-12)

2. Lotte Woad, Florida State 65-74-71-69--279

3. Paula Martin Sampedro, Stanford 70-72-70-70--282

T4. Aine Donegan, LSU 74-67-71-71--283

T4. Maria Jose Marin, Arkansas 72-68-71-72--283

6. Kiara Romero, Oregon 75-66-71-72--284

7. Annabelle Pancake, Clemson 69-69-75-72--285

8. Julia Lopez Ramirez, Miss. St. 71-69-73-73--286

9. Carla Tejedo Mulet, LSU 71-71-70-75--287

T10. Megha Ganne, Stanford 72-70-72--74--288

T10. Phoebe Brinker, Duke 69-73-74-72--288

T10. Latanna Stone, LSU 71-73-73-71--288

T10. Zoe Campos, UCLA 74-69-74-71--288

T10. Mimi Rhodes, Wake Forest 72-72-74-70--288

15. Brianna Navarossa, Southern Cal 75-72-71-71--289

Did not make 54-hole cut -- 220

T86. Bella McCauley, Minnesota 74-78-75--227


Teams (the top eight teams will go to the quarterfinals of match play.)

T1. Stanford 285-285-285-299--1154 (+2)

T1. LSU 289-286-288-291--1154

3. Texas A&M 281-284-289-303--1157

4. Southern Cal 299-283-296-287--1165

5. Clemson 280-293-293-304--1170

T6. UCLA 291-283-300-297--1171

T6. Oregon 294-283-299-295--1171

8. Auburn 285-290-301-296--1172

Did not advance

9. Wake Forest 295-292-297-290--1174

10. Arkansas 288-290-299-300--1177

T11. Texas 299-286-302-295--1182

T11. Northwestern 285-293-295-309--1182

T11. Florida State 287-302-300-293--1182

14. Duke 286-293-304-301--11184

15. Mississippi State 287-297-301-301--1186