Smith Cards Top-20 Finish to Conclude Regionals

NORMAN, Okla. – Duke women's golf junior Andie Smith closed the NCAA Norman Regional Wednesday with a tied for 17th finish to lead the Blue Devils at the 6,445-yard, par-72 Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club in Norman.

With her top-20 ledger, Smith became just the 11th Blue Devil to place in the top 20 of their first three NCAA Regional appearances. She joins impressive company that includes Leona Maguire, Lindy Duncan, Amanda Blumenherst, Liz Janangelo, Leigh Anne Hardin, Virada Nirapathpongporn, Anna Grzebien, Sandy Choi, Virginia Elena Carta and Erica Shepherd.

A native of Hobe Sound, Fla., Smith carded rounds of 73, 72 and 73 across the three days for a 2-over-par, 218. In nine career rounds in NCAA Regional play, Smith has turned in no higher than a 73 to go along with four even or under par rounds.

As a team, Duke's 2024-25 season came to a close as the Blue Devils failed to finish in the top five.

HOW IT HAPPENED – ROUND THREE

Andie Smith led the Blue Devils in the final round with a 1-over, 73, with two birdies. She opened her day by hitting her 50-degree wedge to 10 feet for birdie on No. 10, but then got in trouble the next two holes. She hit into greenside bunkers and had two bogeys to fall to 1-over. Smith parred the next eight holes, before suffering a bogey on No. 3. After a par on No. 4, she hit her 60-degree wedge to eight feet for birdie on the par-5 fifth. Smith parred the final four holes to finish the day. She hit 12 greens and eight fairways on the round.
Sophomore Katie Li closed her second NCAA Regional with a final round of 74.She parred the first hole and then rolled in a 31-footer for birdie on the 373-yard, par four 11th hole.Li, who is from Basking Ridge, N.J., drilled an eight-foot putt on the 156-yard, par-3 No. 12 hole as she connected on the sand save for par to remain at 1-under.After a bogey on No. 14, Li drained a 43-foot birdie putt on No. 15 to get back to 1-under-par.Li closed the day with eight pars and three bogeys to finish with a 74.She hit 13 greens and rolled 32 putts.
Playing in her final round as a Blue Devil, senior Rylie Heflin opened with eight pars over her first nine holes.She finished with 15 pars, including up-and-down pars on the final two holes to finish with a 75.Heflin, a product of Avondale, Pa., had a team-best 28 putts in the final round.
Freshman Anna Cañado Espinal was limited to only one birdie on the 365-yard, par-4 fourth hole as she finished the final round with a 77.
Fellow rookie Carla De Troia also had one birdie on No. 12, while signing for a 77 to close play.

NOTES

The Blue Devils close the season with one victory and a pair of second-place finishes.
Duke finished the 54 holes with a season-low 24 birdies.
Andie Smith ranked tied for third among the field with a 5-under-par score on par-5 holes.
Rylie Heflin's 28 putts on the day were a season low and tied a career low total from her freshman campaign.
As a team, Duke finished 11th overall with rounds of 303, 300 and 299 for a total of 902.Stanford (841), Northwestern (850), Michigan State (863), Oklahoma (864) and Baylor (867) advanced to the NCAA Championship.
The Blue Devils failed to advance to the NCAA Championship for only the third time over the last 29 years (2022, 2011, 1997).Head coach Dan Brooks has had only eight teams over his 41 years as the Duke coach fail to advance to the NCAA Championship.

QUOTES

"I applaud the efforts and attitudes of our team this week and this season.Clearly, it falls on me to figure out better ways for us to prepare.We'll be prepared and ready to win next season." – Duke head coach Dan Brooks

WHAT IS NEXT

Duke concludes the 2024-25 season, but has a bright future ahead with the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation coming in with Rianne Malixi and Avery McCrery.The Blue Devils will return four starters – Smith, Li, Cañado Espinal and De Troia – as well.

To stay up to date with Blue Devils women's golf, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeWGOLF".

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Duke Results
Andie Smith                     73-72-73=218 (T17, +2)
Katie Li                              77-74-74=225 (T45, +9)
Anna Cañado Espinal     80-75-77=232 (T59, +16)
Carla De Troia                  73-82-77=232 (T59, +16)
Rylie Heflin                       80-79-75=234 (61, +18)