Emily Lewis swings a driver.
Emily Lewis (photo by Larry Newman)

Lewis earns first-ever All-Region award

HOUSTON, Texas – The Women's Golf Coaches Association announced the Division III All-Region teams last night at the awards banquet at the National Championships. Senior Emily Lewis is the first golfer in Chapman history to be honored on the All-West Region team after an incredible three years with the Panthers.

Lewis is also the first golfer in the women's short three-year history to be invited to the NCAA National Championships. The prestigious invite comes after she earned her third consecutive All-SCIAC honor. Lewis finished both SCIAC meets in the top-15 and placed in the top-10 at the SCIAC Championships for the third year in a row. The captain led the Panthers to a fourth place team finish with a 17-over par score and a seventh overall individual finish in the conference championships.

The Los Alamitos native is competing as an individual on the biggest stage in Houston, Texas at the NCAA National Championships. Lewis shot an opening-round 78 (+6) to end the first day of competition tied for 29th overall.

The veteran stayed consistent through the second round of competition, shooting another 78 (+6) to jump up and finish the day tied for 24th overall. Lewis started on the back nine of the course, shooting par on holes 10 through 15 to stay even heading into the seventh hole of the day. She bogeyed holes 16 and 18 to finish the first nine holes two-over par.

Lewis birdied the fifth hole, but bogeyed holes one, six and nine and double bogeyed hole three to finish six-over par at the end of the second round.

The top-15 teams and six individuals from non-advancing teams will advance to Friday's fourth and final round. Lewis was one of six golfers to be selected to compete as individuals. She is seven strokes back from leaders Nina Kouchi, Ziyi Wang and Emily Salamy, who are all tied for first place after shooting five-over par after two rounds.

Lewis tees off today, May 16 at 12:10 p.m. (PT) for her third round of the national championship.

by Katie Bell
Sports Information Assistant

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