AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta University’s women’s golf program is one step closer to returning to the NCAA National Championship.

Last season, the Jags made their first appearance in the final tournament.

It was a learning experience they didn’t take for granted.

“It’s not rocket science, it’s not magic. It just takes really good solid golf and staying in the moment and focusing on what you need to execute in that second, not letting the stage get too big for you and overcoming that,” said Caroline Haase-Hegg, Southland Conference Coach of the Year.

Kennedy Carroll, Southland Conference Women’s golf player of the Year, said: “We were perceived as underdogs all year. We play a really tough schedule in the spring every spring against the best teams in the country. So knowing that we could get to the nationals and be a lot of other teams that we’ve kind of lost to all year. That was just the coolest experience ever. It was amazing.”

The Jags earned a number 10 seed in the Regional tournament in East Lansing after winning the Southland Conference Championship.

Claiming the field by 67-strokes, the Jags took home their third straight conference title.

“To be able to have a ring for the rest of your life to recognize that year and what you achieve. That’s special. And those are things that down the line, they’re gonna have to show their families and, and to keep in their homes forever. And so so there’s a lot of a lot of meaning to that, especially after the fact. But for us right now, it’s just one step in the process of where we want to go,” said Haase-Hegg.

It was the largest margin of victory in conference history. The Jags shot a team score of 859 and finished 7-over across 54 holes.

Carroll owes the team’s success to a competitive spring schedule.

“I’ve been here for three years. And I think it’s been the best spring we’ve had which has really been motivating for us. I think individually. We have a lot of motivated girls on this team this year that really want to not only for themselves but you know as a team, so upping the ante this year was not a problem at all,” she said.

Carroll beat the rest of the field by nine shots. She was the only one to go under par for the conference tournament.

The Regional tournament begins on Monday. The top five teams include the low individual advance to Carlsbad, California for the NCAA Championships.

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