Last weekend, the Princeton women’s golf team headed south to the Royal Palm Golf Club in Naples, Florida, with their sights set on making history — and they did just that. With a dominant wire-to-wire performance, the Tigers secured their eighth Ivy League title, winning by a commanding 16 strokes to claim the program’s first team championship since 2022 and fourth in the last eight tournaments.
Princeton’s final team score of +4 placed them well clear of second-place Harvard (+20) and third-place Columbia (+25), thanks to a deep lineup that saw all four scoring players finish in the top seven individually.
Round One: Tigers Lead Early
Princeton wasted no time asserting itself on Friday. With four Tigers inside the top 10 and five in the top 20, the team posted a score of +1, jumping out to a three-shot lead over Penn and Columbia.
First-years Abra Richmond and Olivia Duan, and senior Victoria Liu each shot even-par 72, while junior Catherine Rao finished one back at +1 (73). Duan and Richmond were both under par for stretches of the round, while Liu delivered a back-nine surge with a birdie on 16 and an eagle on 18.
Richmond, who birdied five holes and reached -3 at one point, said she focused on tuning out pressure and sticking to her strengths.
“As a team, we had high expectations going into the tournament,” Richmond told The Daily Princetonian. “So for me, the nerves came with living up to those expectations. We all knew that if we played our game, we’d be tough to catch. Instead of focusing on the nerves, I just focused on what I could control and played my game.”
Duan, who also recorded four birdies in her first Ivy League Championship round, echoed the importance of preparation and mental composure.
“I prepared for and came into this championship just like any other event,” Duan said. “Practicing almost every day and mentally preparing myself to be ready for any challenges that arise.”
Her calm mindset helped her climb into the top five alongside Richmond and Liu.
Meanwhile, Rao opened strong with three birdies and was -2 through 11 holes. Despite a few late bogeys, she showed signs of what was to come.
“I wasn’t playing my best golf and had the yips,” Rao shared. “But I was really focused on putting up a score that would help the team.”
Round Two: Princeton Widens the Margin
Saturday’s round saw Princeton shift gears. With a collective team score of 3-under, the Tigers widened their lead to 14 shots after two rounds. A blazing hot finish allowed the Tigers to expand their lead. Princeton played the final two holes at 6-under, with Rao, Liu, Duan, and Richmond all birdieing either 17 or 18.
Liu led with a 2-under 70, moving to fourth place individually. Duan followed with a steady 71 (-1), Richmond matched her first-round 72 to remain at even par, and Rao fought back to even-par 72, climbing the board.
“As much as I wanted to extend the lead and make a run individually,” Rao explained, “I was just really in the moment and enjoying having my game back after a few tough tournaments.”
Her aggressive approach started to pay off — birdies on three of her final six holes hinted at the momentum she would carry into Sunday.
Richmond, who birdied holes 17 and 18 again, credited consistency and staying focused.
“Nothing changed from hole 1 to 18 — I stuck to my process,” Richmond said. “Making that final birdie putt in front of everyone was a crazy moment.”
By the end of Day Two, Princeton stood at -2 overall, with no other Ivy League team within 10 strokes. The trophy was in reach, and the Tigers were just getting started.
Round Three: Rao Goes Low, Tigers Close Strong
With the title within striking distance, Princeton didn’t ease off the gas. Leading the final charge was Rao, who delivered a scorching 5-under 67, tying for the lowest round of the tournament and sealing a weekend comeback that reflected both her talent and growth.
Her round included four birdies on the back nine and an eagle on the par-five 18th.
“I had a tree in front of me and thought I’d lay up,” Rao said. “Then I get a text from Coach Desanty that says, ‘Harvard getting close!’ and I thought we were neck-and-neck, not 14 ahead. So aggressively, I pulled a 3-wood from 242 out of the rough and hit a shot onto the green. I just went aggressive on the eagle putt — and it dropped.”
Fresh off her appearance at the prestigious Augusta National Women’s Amateur earlier this month, Rao brought that same big-stage composure to Naples when it mattered most. Her final score of -4 overall earned her third place individually.
“Freshman year, I definitely cared more about how I placed individually,” Rao admitted. “This year, the team playing well was the most important thing to me. I’m just happy I got to help and be a part of that.”
Liu, who helped carry the team through the first two rounds, finished fourth (+1) after rounds of 72-70-75. Her back-to-back eagles on Friday and Saturday kept Princeton surging early.
Richmond capped her Ivy League Championship debut with a 74, finishing tied for fifth (+2) and proving herself as a reliable force from start to finish.
“It’s scary to think how important my score was going to be,” Richmond said. “But it was always exactly where I wanted to be.”
Duan wrapped up her impressive weekend tied for seventh (+5), and while Sunday wasn’t her lowest round, she remained one of Princeton’s most consistent performers.
“This is more than I could have asked for to start my collegiate career,” Duan said. “We worked so hard to get here, and seeing it all pay off is the best feeling.”
Also contributing were sophomore Flora Zhang (23rd, +14) and senior Julia Kashimura (33rd, +26).
With their eighth Ivy League title secured and four players in the top seven, Princeton now turns its attention to the national stage. The Tigers will compete in NCAA Regionals from May 6–8, with the site to be announced during the NCAA Selection Show on April 23 at 1 p.m. ET.
Matthew Yi is an assistant Sports editor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
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