Huskers Ready for Columbus Regional

The Nebraska women’s golf team makes its first NCAA Regional appearance since 2008, when the Huskers compete at the Columbus Regional, May 10-12.

The 18-team event opens Monday with tee times beginning at 7 a.m. (CT) on the 6,358-yard, par-72 layout at Ohio State’s Scarlet Course. The three-day, 54-hole event that features a five-count-four scoring format continues on Tuesday with the second round again at 7 a.m. (CT). The tournament concludes Wednesday with final-round tee times starting at 7 a.m. (CT).

Live scoring for the tournament will be available at GolfStat.com. 

Kate Smith, a fifth-year senior from Detroit Lakes, Minn., leads the Huskers into NCAA Tournament play after capturing Nebraska’s first-ever Big Ten individual title. Smith, who won NU’s first conference individual crown since All-American Sarah Sasse in 2003, was also recently added to the U.S. Arnold Palmer Cup Team. Smith joins Duke’s Gina Kim and Erica Shepherd and Coach Jon Whithaus as U.S. Palmer Cup team members at the Columbus Regional, while Kent State’s Emily Price will represent the International Team at the Palmer Cup.  

Smith, who has finished in the top-10 in five of her six collegiate events this spring including a pair of titles, capped her Big Ten victory by tying her own school record with an eight-under-par 64 to finish at 207 (-9).

While Smith picked up an historic win at the Big Ten Championship, teammates Alice Duan (T11th), Kirsten Baete (T16th) and Megan Whittaker (T18th) added top-20 finishes, making the 2021 Huskers the first NU women’s golf team with four top-20 finishers at a league tournament. 

2021 NCAA Columbus Regional

The Scarlet Course (Columbus, Ohio)

Par 72, 6,358 Yards

Format: 5-Count-4

Live Scoring: GolfStat.com

Schedule

Monday, May 10 – Tee Times – 7 a.m. (CT)

Tuesday, May 11 – Tee Times – 7 a.m. (CT)

Wednesday, May 12 – Tee Times – 7 a.m. (CT)

Nebraska Lineup

1. Kate Smith

2. Alice Duan

3. Michaela Vavrova

4. Kirsten Baete

5. Megan Whittaker

Participating Teams (18)

1. Duke (2)

2. Arizona State (7)

3. Virginia (11)

4. Kent State (15)

5. Georgia (18)

6. Vanderbilt (24)

7. Michigan (26)

8. Clemson (30)

9. Oklahoma (33)

10. Kentucky (37)

11. Illinois (42)

12. New Mexico (46)

13. Nebraska (49)

14. Washington (54)

15. Coastal Carolina (67)

16. Campbell (82)

17. Evansville (175)

18. Youngstown State (177)

Regional seeds listed in order; GolfStat national rankings in parentheses

Smith Wins Big Ten; Huskers Earn Best Conference Finish Since 1984

Kate Smith won Nebraska’s first-ever Big Ten women’s golf individual title and the Huskers produced their best conference finish since a runner-up finish in the Big Eight in 1984, as the Huskers tied for second at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio, April 23-25.

Smith tied her own school record with a final-round 64 (-8) to finish at 207 (-9) to defeat runner-up Irene Kim from Northwestern by three strokes. Smith became Nebraska’s first conference champion since Sarah Sasse won the Big 12 in 2003. Smith is just the third individual champion in school history, also joining Big Eight champ Rachelle Tacha in 1996.

As a team, Nebraska fired a season-best 858 over three rounds, including top-20 individual finishes from Alice Duan (T11th), Kirsten Baete (T16th) and Megan Whittaker (T18th). 

Smith Joins U.S. Palmer Cup Team

Kate Smith was selected to represent the United States in the Arnold Palmer Cup June 11-13 at Rich Harvest Farms outside of Chicago, when the teams were announced by the Golf Channel on May 4.

The Palmer Cup, which was co-founded by the legendary Arnold Palmer and the Golf Coaches Association of America, matches the top 12 U.S. men’s and women’s collegiate golfers against the top 12 collegiate men’s and women’s international golfers in a format similar to the Ryder Cup. 

It is the only major tournament featuring men and women playing side-by-side as partners in a Mixed Four Ball format (12 groups of two-person teams).

“This is a tremendous honor for Kate and she certainly earned it,” Nebraska Head Coach Lisa Johnson said. “Kate will represent Nebraska well among the elite college players in the country at the Palmer Cup. It has been so exciting to watch her receive all the recognition that she has earned this year because of the amazing work she has put into becoming one of the nation’s best collegiate golfers.”