NMSU’s Bunch maintains share of lead following round 2 of Conference USA Championships

EL PASO, Texas - The second day of competition at the Conference USA Championships came to a conclusion on Tuesday afternoon at World Golf Village. Following 36 holes, the Aggie women’s golf team is slotted in fourth place on the heels of posting a score of 298 (+10) on Tuesday to bring their team total to 588 (+12) for the week.

NM State sits 11 strokes back of Jax State, who paces the field with a score of 577 (+1) with one round remaining.

Meanwhile, junior Emma Bunch is firmly in contention for her second straight CUSA individual crown after submitting a 70 (-2) in the second round to bring her total to 139 (-5) and remain in a tie atop the leaderboard.

For the second straight day, Bunch wrapped up the day in a deadlock with Jax State’s Lara El chaib.

Bunch and El chaib will begin the final round of action with a four-stroke lead over the field. In the second round, Bunch recorded six birdies to bring her total to 11 for the week, which paces the field by two.

Angela Garvin will also begin the final round as one of the top contenders as she sits in a tie for sixth following a 75 (+3) on Tuesday to bring her two-day total to 144 (E).

She is currently one of eight players within five strokes of the lead.

Alexandria Armendariz improved her position on the leaderboard as she also shot a 75 (+3) to move up seven spots and into a tie for 24th.

On Wednesday, Armendariz will look to surpass her best finish of the year, which is currently a T34 finish at the Riverbend Intercollegiate.

Emma Thompson made her CUSA Championships debut and posted a 78 (+6) while Camille Pazouki closed the day in 36th following an 81 (+9) in the second round to round out the group of Aggies in Florida.

ROUND 2 LEADERBOARD

4. NM State – 290-298-588 (+12)

T1. Emma Bunch – 69-70-139 (-5)

T6. Angela Garvin – 69-75-144 (E)

T24. Alexandria Armendariz – 77-75-152 (+8)

T36. Camille Pazouki – 75-81-156 (+12)

N/A. Emma Thompson – 78 (+6) (Round 2 Only)

NUMBERS OF NOTE

• The average score increased by more than one stroke in the second round, moving from 74.35 to 75.60 on Tuesday.
• After playing as the sixth hardest hole on Monday, hole 6 finished as the most difficult hole on Tuesday, as none of the 40 players in the field recorded a birdie on the 360-yard par 4. Additionally, 19 players shot bogey or worse on the hole.
• After playing as the hardest hole on Monday, hole 17 finished as the second hardest hole on Tuesday, as only one player managed a birdie on the 372-yard par 4.
• Holes 12 and 16 produced the most birdies, with the field recording 10 birdies on each hole.
• On Tuesday, Angela Garvin was one of just two players in the field to record a birdie on hole 15, a 135-yard par 3.
• Camille Pazouki was one of two players in the field on Tuesday to come away with a birdie on the 365-yard par-4 10th hole.
• Through two days, the Aggies are 19-over on the course’s par 4s to rank second among the field. The Aggies also rank third in the field on the par 5s, shooting a combined one-under.
• NM State has recorded a combined 27 birdies across two rounds to rank second in the field.
• Angela Garvin is a combined three-under on the par 4s this week to rank first in this category. At even par on the par 4s, Emma Bunch is tied for third in the field.
• Emma Bunch is six-under on par 5s through two rounds, which makes her two strokes better than anyone else in the field this week. 

UP NEXT

Wednesday will mark the final round of play at the 2025 CUSA Championships, with a team champion and individual champion being crowned after 18 holes. The eight teams and 40 individuals will be competing for a spot in the NCAA Regionals, with the team champion earning an automatic bid to a regional. Additionally, the top finisher not on the winning team will also qualify for a spot in an NCAA regional.

Each player will begin the day on hole 1, with NM State’s day starting at 6:15 a.m. MT when Emma Thompson tees off. Thompson will be followed by Camille Pazouki (6:24), Alexandria Armendariz (6:33) and Angela Garvin (6:42), with Emma Bunch being the final Aggie to tee off at 6:51 a.m.