NMSU golfer Emma Bunch earns 2024 CUSA individual title
(Courtesy: NMSU Athletics)
MAGNOLIA, Texas – She is inevitable. After entering the week with four consecutive individual titles, Emma Bunch put together yet another unforgettable performance to be named the Conference USA Individual Champion.
On the week, Bunch posted scores of 68, 70 and 71 to finish the tournament with a total stroke count of 209 (-7) and win the event by one stroke.
As a team, the Aggies finished the week in second place while shooting a combined score of 864 (E) for the 54-hole championship.
Ultimately, Sam Houston took home the team title after shooting nine-under on the final day of play to end the week 14 strokes under par.
Bunch’s performance makes the Lynge, Denmark, native the first Aggie since Dominique Galloway to secure an individual conference title as Galloway battled her way to a WAC title in Lakewood, Wash.
On the day, Bunch tallied four birdies including three on the front nine. Including Wednesday, Bunch’s birdie total finished at 14 to lead all competitors in the 35-player field.
En route to the title, Bunch also posted the lowest average score across all par 3s at 2.83 and the lowest average score across all par 5s at 4.33.
Alison Gastelum managed the Aggies’ second top-five finish as she concluded the three-day tournament tied for fourth place after shooting a final-round 71 (-1) to submit a final score of two under par (214).
Gastelum paced all players in the field with 41 pars while also turning in eight birdies.
With the pair of top-six finishes, both Bunch and Gastelum were also named to the CUSA All-Tournament Team.
The two Aggies were joined by Sam Houston’s Jennifer Herbst and Viera Permata Rosada, UTEP’s Andrea Ostos and Western Kentucky’s Catie Craig.
Kaylee Chen also played her way to a top-10 finish as she finished two over par to place 10th.
This also marks Chen’s best finish of the 2023-24 season. Meanwhile, Isa Laulhé finished the week tied for 20th and Angela Garvin rounded out the group in a tie for 29th.
With the individual title, Emma Bunch has secured a spot in the upcoming NCAA Regionals and will learn where she will be headed during the NCAA Selection Show on Wednesday, April 24, at Noon MT on the Golf Channel.
This year’s regional locations are as follows:
Auburn, Alabama | Auburn University Club (Auburn University, host)
Bermuda Run, North Carolina | Bermuda Run Country Club (Wake Forest University, host)
Bryan, Texas | The Traditions Club (Texas A&M University, host)
Las Vegas, Nevada | Spanish Trail Country Club (University of Nevada, Las Vegas, host)
East Lansing, Michigan | Forest Akers Golf Course (Michigan State University, host)
Cle Elum, Washington | Tumble Creek Club (University of Washington, host)
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FINAL TEAM STANDINGS
| Pos. | Team | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total (To Par) |
| 1 | Sam Houston | 286 | 285 | 279 | 850 (-14) |
| 2 | NM State | 287 | 286 | 291 | 864 (E) |
| 3 | Western Kentucky | 297 | 292 | 288 | 877 (+13) |
| 4 | FIU | 302 | 287 | 293 | 882 (+18) |
| 5 | UTEP | 292 | 293 | 300 | 885 (+21) |
| 6 | Jax State | 303 | 292 | 297 | 892 (+28) |
| 7 | Middle Tennessee | 307 | 296 | 310 | 913 (+49) |
NM STATE INDIVIDUAL FINAL SCORES
| Pos. | Team | R1 | R2 | R3 | Total (To Par) |
| 1 | Emma Bunch | 68 | 70 | 71 | 209 (-7) |
| T4 | Alison Gastelum | 74 | 69 | 71 | 214 (-2) |
| 10 | Kaylee Chen | 74 | 71 | 73 | 218 (+2) |
| T20 | Isa Laulhé | 71 | 76 | 78 | 225 (+9) |
| T29 | Angela Garvin | 75 | 82 | 76 | 233 (+17) |
