For Chang, it is his second straight individual title after winning the Calusa Cup last week. The graduate student, a one-time Virginia club player, has vaulted himself into the ranks of the nation’s best this year and his performance will prove vital to the Cavaliers’ national championship hopes in the coming weeks.
Sunday belonged to junior Mira Berglund, whose masterclass propelled Virginia to the finish line.
Competing against a slate of eight ranked opponents at Southern Highlands Golf Club, three of which comprise the top-five programs in the country, No. 1 Virginia did more than justify its ranking — it reinforced its status as a legitimate title contender.
The Cavaliers now look ahead to a journey to Las Vegas, Nev. this upcoming weekend for the Southern Highlands Invitational hosted by UNLV — an event packed with top competition and the potential for major ranking implications if the Cavaliers were to turn in an uncharacteristic performance.
The new lineup struggled, resulting in a 16th-place finish out of 17 teams with no players cracking the top 40 on the leaderboard.
It was a stark contrast to last year's showing, where the team's lone highlight was a memorable hole-in-one. This time, Virginia dominated from wire to wire, shattering personal bests and rewriting the record books.
After finishing three-over-par in the first round, junior Jaclyn LaHa was particularly impressive. She tied the best 18-hole round of her collegiate career with a 67 on her second round, recording five-under-par.
As a program coming off its first ACC title and NCAA runner-up finish, the Cavaliers’ approach to their mid-season break matters.
"Every step is worth it because there’s no feeling like reaching a lifetime goal," Smith said.
The East Lake Cup brought four of golf’s powerhouse programs together for a one-day individual stroke play event, followed by two days of team match play.
Virginia dominated the whole way in a large field.
Virginia finished final of four fall tournaments Sunday in 15th place.
Forgive Dr. Bob Rotella, the renowned sports psychologist, if the phone call has escaped his memory.
"For the first time ever" became the season's refrain.
Virginia made history, and then some more, before falling in the final.
