ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – The Bears are headed to the NCAA Championships! The Cal women's golf team prevailed through blustery conditions on Wednesday afternoon, finishing tied for fifth (295-291-302=888; +24) at the 2017 NCAA Albuquerque Regional, hosted at the UNM South Championship Course. The top six teams advanced to the 2017 NCAA Championship, hosted at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois, from May 19-24. Stanford finished first overall (290-283-293=866; +2), while Cardinal freshman Albane Valenzuela was the regional champion at six-under (71-69-70=210; 1^st).

This will be Cal's third trip to the team championships in the last four seasons, and the tenth in program history, all coming under head coach Nancy McDaniel. Last season the Bears narrowly missed the cut, finishing seventh at Shoal Creek, though Marianne Li advanced as an individual.

"We're incredibly excited to be heading back to nationals and I could not be more proud of our players," said McDaniel. "I have nothing but respect and awe for them right now, and how tough they are as student-athletes. At the same time that they are facing their biggest golf test of the season, they are also juggling final exams at the number one public university in the world. Our players managed both so well and just did a fantastic job."

Entering the day in fifth place, the Bears also had to battle the elements on the final day of competition. Cal opened the day on the front nine and was faced with cold weather and strong, gusting winds. However the Bears' preparation, left them more than ready to deal with the added adversity.

"We faced a lot of the same weather and wind at the Pac-12 Championships," explained McDaniel. "Without being battled tested and having had to work through those elements, we would not have been able to do what we did today at regionals. Pac-12s was a great test of our mental fortitude."

That resilience was on display down the stretch on Wednesday, as the Bears held off attempts by Washington and NC State to break into the Top 6. Cal closed the tournament in empathic fashion, with three players shooting birdie on the 18^th and final hole.

"When it gets close down the stretch, you just need to keep your players calm and stick to what you do best," said McDaniel. "You're not going to change your game plan much at that point. They stayed focused and hit some big putts down the stretch.  That last hole was nothing short of magical."

Senior Lucia Gutierrez and sophomore Marianne Li led the Bears in the final round, both shooting two-over 74s. Gutierrez, who will graduate on Saturday with a degree in economics, was even through the front nine and sunk a birdie on 18 to chart her best round of the tournament. A native of Lima, Peru, Gutierrez finished T49 (78-76 -74=228; +12), earning a chance to close out her career at the NCAA Championships. Li, a tri-champion at the 2016 NCAA Regionals, was two-under after the turn and finished the tournament tied for 24^th.

Marthe Wold was the Bears' top performer at Regionals and turned in her best finishing of the season, tying for 11^th in the field of 95 competitors. The junior from Norway finished the tournament at three-over (72-71-76 =219), matching her lowest 54-hole score of the year.

Freshman Maria Herraez also finished tied for 24^th (72-72-78=222;+6 ) while classmate Jiyoon Jang took 62^nd (79-73-78=230; +14) playing in just her second tournament of the spring.

Play for the 2017 NCAA Championships begins on May 19 at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois, consisting of three days of stroke play on Friday through Sunday (54 holes). After the first 54 holes, the top 15 teams and nine individuals not on an advancing team will be determined ,followed by a final day of 18 holes of stroke play (Monday) to determine the top eight teams that will advance to match play as well as the 72-hole individual champion. The team national champion will be determined by a match-play format that will consist of quarterfinals and semifinals conducted on Tuesday, followed by the finals on Wednesday.



Follow  @CalWomensGolf on Twitter and @CalWGolf on Instagram for updates and behind-the-scenes insights throughout the NCAA Championships and the year.  

TEAM RESULTS
POS / TEAM / RD 1 / RD 2 / RD 3 /TOTAL / TO PAR
1 / Stanford / 290 /283 / 293 / 866 / +2
2 / Duke  / 297 / 288 / 288 / 873 / +9
2 / Pepperdine / 287 / 290 / 302 / 879 / +15
4 / USC / 296 / 285 / 303 / 884 / +20
T5 / California / 295 / 291 / 302 / 888 / +24
T5 / Miami (FL) / 303 / 288 / 297 / 888 / +24
7 / NC State / 301 / 294 / 295 / 890 / +26
8 / Washington / 295 / 292 / 304 / 891 / +27
9 / Campbell / 297 / 298 / 298 / 893 / +29
10 / Oklahoma State / 304 / 286 / 308 / 898 / +34
11 / Illinois / 306 / 287 / 308 / 901 / +37
12 / Denver / 305 / 300 / 298 / 903 / +39
13 / SMU / 302 / 301 / 302 / 905 / +41
14 / New Mexico State / 307 / 297 / 305 / 909 / +45
15 / Sacramento State / 310 / 298 / 303 / 911 / +47
16 / Cal Poly / 308 / 312 / 315 / 935 / +71
17 / Houston Baptist / 314 / 310 / 326 / 950 / +86
18 / Texas Southern / 365 / 350 / 355 / 1070 / +206

CAL RESULTS
POS /PLAYER / RD 1 / RD 2 / RD 3 / TOTAL / TO PAR
T11 / Marthe Wold / 72 / 71 / 76 / 219 / +3
T24 / Maria Herraez / 72 / 72 / 78 / 222 / +6
T24 / Marianne Li / 73 / 75 / 74 / 222 / +6
T49 / Lucia Gutierrez / 78 / 76 / 74 / 228 / +12
T62 / Jiyoon Jang / 79 / 73 / 78 / 230 / +14