Championship Sunday Recap – A Finish Worth Remembering

What an unforgettable day at the Vistas Course.

Under perfect Arizona skies, the nation’s top collegiate women delivered a final round worthy of the stage. The 2026 Westbrook Invitational did not disappoint.

Team Championship Drama

Arizona began the day in commanding fashion, unleashing an early birdie barrage that suggested they might run away with it.

But Missouri never blinked.

The Tigers stalked all afternoon, gradually applying pressure before taking control on the back nine. When it mattered most, Missouri delivered a stunning -17 team round — the lowest of the entire championship — to finish at -37 overall and secure the title by two shots with the come from behind victory of Arizona.

It was a closing statement performance.

Adding to the dominance, Ebba Liljeberg of Missouri posted the low round of the day with a brilliant 65, fueling the Tigers’ surge.

Individual Championship – Clutch on the Closing Stretch

The individual race was a heavyweight battle throughout the final round. Five names rotated atop the leaderboard:

• Noa van Beek (K-State)
• Lyla Louderbaugh (Kansas)
• Ebba Liljeberg (Missouri)
• Mariana Mesones (Minnesota)
• Nena Wongthanavimok (Arizona)

It truly came down to the closing holes.

Noa van Beek opened her round on Hole 4 with a birdie — then another at 5 — setting the tone early. She added a crucial birdie on her second-to-last hole (Hole 2) to put herself in position.

Standing on Hole 3 — one of the more demanding holes on the course — she needed one more birdie.

With her coach at her side, she delivered.

A composed, clutch finish sealed the deal as Noa van Beek became the 2026 Westbrook Invitational Individual Champion with rounds of 64-71-67 (-14). A championship performance defined by poise under pressure.

Strong Finish for the Host Team

The host Wisconsin Badgers showed grit of their own.

Izzi Stricker rebounded from an opening 75 to post a 69 in Round 2 — highlighted by a hole-out on 13 — and closed with a 68, finishing with three birdies down the stretch.

Kate Brody found her rhythm late as well, firing a final-round 68. Grace Slocum and Alexia Siehl contributed steady 71s, helping Wisconsin post one of the best team rounds of the day at -10.

It may have taken a round or two to adjust to the desert warmth — but the Badgers finished strong. On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin!

Sunday's Competition Format – How It Works

• Shotgun Start at 8:30 AM – All players will begin simultaneously from different holes, ensuring continuous action across the course.
• 36 Holes, Back-to-Back – Unlike traditional events with a break between rounds, these athletes will play straight through the first and second rounds, making endurance and strategy key factors.
• Team & Individual Leaderboards Begin to Take Shape – By the end of Sunday, we’ll have a much clearer picture of which teams and individuals are in contention heading into the final round on Monday.

How the Tournament Works

Team Scoring
Each team consists of five players, but only the best four scores count towards the team total for each round (the worst score is dropped).

Example Team Round Score:

Individual Scoring
Each player competes for their own individual score, including any extra players teams bring just for the individual competition. The player with the lowest score over 54 holes is crowned the individual champion.