CARLSBAD, Calif. – A historic season for the No. 18 Tennessee women’s golf team came to a close on Sunday at Omni La Costa, while the door remains open for Kyra Van Kan to compete for an individual national championship.
As a team, the Lady Vols failed to make the 54-hole cut, falling below the top 15 cut line by three strokes. Instead, Tennessee’s season comes to an end as the team tied for 18th place. In round three, Tennessee shot a 5-over-par 293, falling to a final tally of 15-over-par despite three Lady Vols earning scores of even par or better. It marks the second consecutive season that the Lady Vols have posted a top 20 finish at the NCAA Championships, and 15th in program history, following a 13th place finish in the event in 2025.
Headlining for the Lady Vols as she has done all weekend was Van Kan, who remains heavily in contention for the individual national championship after matching her best score of the weekend in round three. The sophomore earned a 3-under-par 69 to improve to 7-under-par through 54 holes. She is tied for fifth place among the field of 160 golfers that have competed thus far.
As one of the top nine individual scorers on a non-advancing team, Van Kan is the lone Lady Vol to earn the right to compete in round four. The All-SEC Second Team selection is within arm’s length of the lead, trailing the current individual leader by just three strokes. Van Kan could match or break the best all-time individual finish by a Lady Vol at the NCAA Championships, a fourth-place finish by assistant coach Anna Newell at the 2016 NCAA Championships.
In her final round as a Lady Vol, Manassanan Chotikabhukkana posted the team’s second-best score of the day. Tennessee’s career leader in rounds of par or better wasn’t going down without a fight, posting a 1-under-par 71 to conclude her collegiate career. After going 2-over-par on the front nine, the senior switched gears on the back nine with four birdies, including a special moment with a birdie on hole No. 18 to close her collegiate career. A Lady Vol through and through, Chotikabhukkana concludes her final appearance with Tennessee tied for 83rd place at 6-over-par.
Madison Messimer closed a prolific freshman season with a unique scorecard in round three. The SEC Freshman of the Year recorded par on all 18 holes to shoot an even-par 72. It is Messimer’s 20th round of par or better this season, setting a new single-season program record. At 5-over-par, Messimer ends her first NCAA Championships appearance tied for 72nd place.
All eyes turn to Van Kan for Monday’s fourth and final stroke play round of the NCAA Championships. Her final push toward a historic finish will begin with a 3:53 p.m. EST tee time from hole No. 10. Live coverage of the fourth round will begin on the Golf Channel will begin at 5:30 p.m. EST and conclude at 9:30 p.m. EST.
NCAA Championships Standings (Round Three)
1. Stanford (-21)
2. USC (-16)
3. Oklahoma State (-10)
4. Texas (-6)
T-5. Iowa State (-3)
T-5. Arkansas (-3)
T-7. Florida (+2)
T-7. Arizona State (+2)
T-7. Duke (+2)
10. Eastern Michigan (+6)
T-11. Pepperdine (+8)
T-11. Missouri (+8)
T-13. SMU (+10)
T-13. North Carolina (+10)
15. Northwestern (+12)
– Cut Line –
T-16. Wake Forest (+13)
T-16. LSU (+13)
T-18. Tennessee (+15)
T-18. Virginia (+15)
20. Houston (+16)
21. Auburn (+17)
22. Texas A&M (+18)
T-23. Kentucky (+21)
T-23. Florida State (+21)
25. Baylor (+22)
26. Ole Miss (+23)
27. Ohio State (+29)
28. Michigan State (+31)
29. Texas Tech (+35)
30. Oregon State (+37)
Tennessee Results (Round Three)
T-5. Kyra Van Kan: 69-71-69 = 209 (-7)
T-72. Madison Messimer: 74-75-72 = 221 (+5)
T-83. Manassanan Chotikabhukkana: 75-76-71 = 222 (+6)
139. Sophie Christopher: 73-75-82 = 230 (+14)
Sofie Engesaeth: 77-XX-XX (+5)
Kaopan Thapasit: XX-74-81 (+11)
