Catherine Park Leads No. 2 USC Women’s Golf to Dominant Victory at Wallace Classic
PALM DESERT, Calif. - The USC women’s golf team didn’t just win the Alice and John Wallace Women’s Golf Classic - they put on a clinic. Powered by a lights-out final round from senior Catherine Park, the No. 2-ranked Trojans rolled to a 26-shot victory at Monterey Country Club, finishing at 17-under 835 over three rounds. That margin ties for the fourth-largest in program history and marks USC’s second team win of the season under head coach Justin Silverstein - the 29th of his Trojan tenure.
Let’s start with Park, who was in full command on Monday. She closed with a sizzling 65 (-6), her best round of the tournament, to secure the individual title at 11-under 202. That score not only topped the field - it also tied for the second-lowest 54-hole total in USC history, just one stroke off her own school record of 201.
Park came out firing with five birdies on the front nine. Even after back-to-back bogeys on holes 10 and 11, she didn’t flinch.
The senior responded with three birdies down the stretch, including a clutch five-footer on the 18th to seal the deal. It was a signature finish from a player who’s been steadily building her legacy in the cardinal and gold.
With five career wins now under her belt, Park is tied for second all-time at USC - just one shy of Annie Park’s program-best six.
And Park wasn’t the only Trojan making noise in the desert.
Sophomore Kylie Chong continued her strong sophomore campaign with a third-place finish at 4-under 209. Her final-round 70 (-1) was her second under-par score of the tournament, highlighted by three birdies on the front side. Chong showed control and consistency throughout the week, with just four bogeys across 54 holes - a big step forward in her development as a key contributor.
Jasmine Koo also cracked the top 10, finishing eighth at 1-over 214. The sophomore opened the tournament with a scorching 64 - the lowest round of the opening day - and while she cooled off slightly over the weekend, she remained steady enough to stay in the top tier of the leaderboard. Her final round 74 (+3) included a double bogey on No. 5 and a bogey on No. 8, but she salvaged her day with a birdie on the par-3 13th.
Elise Lee quietly climbed the leaderboard with a solid final-round 73 (+2), moving her into a tie for 14th at 6-over 219. Her round featured a birdie on the par-5 second hole and just two blemishes - a bogey and a double - the kind of clean card that helps stabilize a team score.
Freshman Sarah Hammett, competing as an individual, tied for 21st at 8-over 221. She opened strong with a 69 in Round 2 but couldn’t quite keep the momentum going, closing with a 77. Still, it was a promising showing for the first-year player.
Chloe Kim, also playing individually, wrapped up her second collegiate tournament in a tie for 32nd at 10-over 223. Her final-round 75 was steady, if unspectacular - four bogeys, no birdies - but another step in the learning curve for the young Trojan.
As a team, USC was simply in another gear. Their opening-round 269 set the tone early, and they never looked back.
The Trojans were the only squad to finish under par, and their 282 in the final round matched Eastern Michigan’s best effort - but the damage was already done. USC’s consistency across all three days made it clear: this is a team with national championship aspirations, and performances like this only reinforce that belief.
Eastern Michigan finished runner-up at 9-over 861, followed by No. 11 UCLA (+18), California (+22), and No. 10 Vanderbilt (+24) to round out the top five.
What’s Next
The Trojans will be back in action March 9-10 as they co-host the GameAbove Invitational with Eastern Michigan at Rolling Hills Country Club in Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. Admission is free, and if this weekend’s performance is any indication, fans are in for a treat.