FAYETTEVILLE – The 2024-25 Arkansas women’s golf season begins this weekend (Aug. 30-Sept. 1) at the Carmel Cup, played at historic Pebble Beach Golf Links.
The third annual event – and the Razorbacks have played in all three – features four SEC teams (Arkansas, host Mississippi State, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt) and four schools from the Big 12 (Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas Tech). The Carmel Cup is a 6-count-5 scoring format with 18 holes of golf each day (Friday-Sunday).
Last year, Arkansas was runner-up to Stanford. Then freshman Razorback Maria Jose Marin was making her collegiate debut and showed right way why she would be named All-America at season’s end, finishing runner-up with an 11-under-par score of 205 (67-70-68).
Jose Marin has climbed to #11 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings after winning the stroke play at the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur and reaching the semifinals in match play before bowing out with an injury.
Only one other Razorback – Reagan Zibilski – will return to the Carmel Cup with Joes Marin this season. The junior from Springfield, Mo., placed 21st at last year’s event with a 2-over score of 218 (72-72-74).
A pair of seasoned veterans will help bolster the lineup. Senior Kendall Todd, who reached the semifinals of the 2024 U.S. Women’s Amateur earlier this month, recently broke into the WAGR top 100 at #97. Fellow senior Giovanna Fernandez has played in 12 career events with a 75.62 scoring average.
The lineup is rounded out by freshmen Anna Kate Nichols and Clarisa Temelo. Nichols is a Little Rock (Pulaski Academy) product who was named to the 2023-24 All-USA TODAY Girls Golf Team and she is a two-time Arkansas 4A state champion. Temelo was ranked as the No. 27 player in the Class of 2024 by the Golf Channel, thanks to a sixth-place finish at last year’s Women’s Amateur Latin America.
CARMEL CUP
Aug. 30-Sept. 1, 2024
Pebble Beach Golf Links (Par 72)
Pebble Beach, Calif.
Format: 18 holes each day • 6 count 5
FIELD:
Arkansas
Mississippi State
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
Texas A&M
TCU
Texas Tech
Vanderbilt
Razorbacks (Tee Times – PT):
Anna Kate Nichols (7:50 am)
Clarisa Temelo (8:06 am)
Giovanna Fernandez (8:14 am)
Reagan Zibilski (8:25 am)
Maria Jose Marin (8:41 am)
Kendall Todd (8:49 am)
