Despite the abrupt end to the college golf season, a handful of players had plenty of opportunity to separate themselves at the top of the game. With the second half of the spring season called off due to coronavirus – and no postseason during which to make a run – these 10 women make up the final ANNIKA Award Watch List of the season.
The ANNIKA Award Presented by Stifel goes to the top player in college women’s golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the golf media. Voting runs from April 7-21 on the award’s website with the winner earning an exemption to 2021 Evian Championship.
Players are listed alphabetically.
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Golfweek Women’s Rankings: Team | Individual
Ana Belac, Duke
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 3
Golfstat Ranking: 11
Scoring Average: 71.85
The senior from Slovenia balanced a fall run to the second stage of LPGA Q-School well and still managed to lead the Blue Devils in scoring for the year. Even though the spring season ended abruptly, Belac had proved herself with top-10 finishes in two of the toughest fields assembled all year – she was T-5 at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge and ninth at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate.
Vivian Hou, Arizona
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 1
Golfstat Ranking: 4
Scoring Average: 70.94
The sole blip in freshman Hou’s year came at the Windy City Collegiate, a week that started with a 77, ended with a 69 and saw Hou in 35th place. Otherwise, Hou was a collective 17 under in 16 competitive rounds and didn’t finish worse than fourth in five other starts, including stacked fields like the ANNIKA Intercollegiate and the Stanford Intercollegiate.
Rachel Kuehn, Wake Forest
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 13
Golfstat Ranking: 3
Scoring Average: 71.23
Kuehn showed what she was capable of as soon as she won the ANNIKA Intercollegiate in her first start with Wake Forest. Her sole spring start, at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate, ended in a T-3 finish.
Ingrid Lindblad, LSU
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 2
Golfstat Ranking: 9
Scoring Average: 70.33
The freshman from Sweden made a big debut in college golf, winning twice in an abbreviated season. Lindblad has the ability to go deep, finishing five of her seven starts under par, which included a 10-under performance in winning the Magnolia Invitational in October.
Emilia Migliaccio, Wake Forest
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 16
Golfstat Ranking: 6
Scoring Average: 71.58
The junior looked to be poised for a big spring after a T-7 at the Northrop Grumman Regional and a one-shot win at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate. Migliaccio’s fall was consistent if not explosive, with two top-6 finishes.
Pimnipa Panthong, Kent State
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 12
Golfstat Ranking: 28
Scoring Average: 70.48
Panthong’s season, like her Kent State career, has been one of remarkable consistency. The senior had one finish outside the top 7 – a T-49 at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge – in seven starts this season.
Kaitlyn Papp, Texas
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 5
Golfstat Ranking: 10
Scoring Average: 70.78
Played a leading role for the Longhorns in the fall and finished third in her first two outings with the team at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate and Schooner Fall Classic. Finished 11th, T-29 in first two spring starts at Northrop Grumman and Darius Rucker, two of the toughest regular-season fields in women’s college golf.
Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, South Carolina
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 8
Golfstat Ranking: 5
Scoring Average: 71.27
Freshman with a huge amount of international experience led the Gamecocks in four of the team’s six starts. After winning her first collegiate title in the fall at the Windy City Collegiate, Roussin-Bouchard logged a third-place finish and a 10th-place finish in her shortened spring.
Emma Spitz, UCLA
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 7
Golfstat Ranking: 7
Scoring Average: 71.4
The freshman made every start with the team in her debut season. A phenomenal spring included three-top-10 finishes in full-field events, including a tie for first at the Bruin Wave Invitational.
Natalie Srinivasan, Furman
Golfweek/Sagarin Ranking: 4
Golfstat Ranking: 2
Scoring Average: 70.8
Senior season included three individual titles and ended with a runner-up at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate. In six starts this season, Srinivasan finished in the top 5 four times.
