Golf: Key storylines to follow for Northwestern

Northwestern golf is back in action after a winter break following the fall portion of the season. The women’s team opens its spring slate Sunday through Tuesday at the Purdue Puerto Rico Classic in Rio Grande, marking its first tournament of the calendar year. On the men’s side, Northwestern returned to competition on Saturday at the Gantner Cup, earning a dual-match victory over Michigan State.

With competition resuming for both teams, here are a few key storylines to watch as the Wildcats move into the second half of the season.

Women’s Golf

Arianna Lau’s departure

In December, Lau announced that she would be leaving Northwestern’s program to focus fully on her golf career as she prepares to turn professional following the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in April. Her departure is a significant blow to Northwestern’s hopes of repeating as national champions, as the Hong Kong native was the Wildcats’ top-ranked player, sitting 33rd in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Lau was the highest-ranked recruit in program history and quickly lived up to the billing, reaching the quarterfinals of the U.S. Women’s Amateur and posting three consecutive top-10 finishes to begin her collegiate career.

Lau had consistently been Northwestern’s top finisher in tournaments and appeared poised to assume the role of the team’s leading player following Lauryn Nguyen’s graduation last season. Losing a player of her caliber leaves a sizable gap in the lineup.

This is not the first time that Northwestern golf has had to deal with a blue-chip recruit leaving early, as Matt Fitzpatrick famously competed for one quarter before turning professional in 2014. Like Fitzpatrick, Lau will enter the professional ranks as one of the world’s top amateurs, believing she is ready to compete at the highest level. While her departure is disappointing for the ‘Cats, Fitzpatrick’s decision didn’t turn out too badly for him, and it will be fun to monitor Lau’s own path to the pros.

Navigating the season with a six-player roster

With Lau’s departure, Northwestern is down to six players on its roster. While only five golfers compete in each lineup, this number is slimmer than the team would ideally prefer. Depth has been tested throughout the year following the graduation and professional turn of Nguyen as well as the transfer of Elise Lee to USC. Lee was widely expected to be the team’s second-best player entering the season, and her departure is another significant blow to roster stability.

As a result, the lineup has largely remained consistent all year, featuring Dianna Lee, Ashley Yun, Megan Meng and Hsin Tai Lin. The final spot will be contested between senior Jiayi Wang and first-year Lauren E. Lee. Wang started on Sunday, though it remains unclear whether she will hold that position for the rest of the season. A native of China, Wang has competed in several tournaments over the past three seasons, with her best finish coming in a tie for 15th place.

While Northwestern’s limited depth will continue to be tested, the team retains a strong core, with four of its top five players returning to the lineup for each event.

Men’s Golf

Daniel Svärd and Rowan Sullivan anchoring Northwestern men’s golf

Svärd and Sullivan have emerged as the driving forces behind Northwestern men’s golf, setting the standard for leadership and performance. Svärd, a senior, is ranked 50th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and sits 16th in the PGA Tour University Rankings. Under that system, players ranked 11 through 25 earn PGA Tour Americas membership, while a finish between sixth and 10th would secure Korn Ferry Tour status. The Sweden native has been a cornerstone of the program throughout his four years in Evanston, capturing two Big Ten Individual Championships and opening the season with a runner-up finish at the Windon Memorial Classic, an eighth-place result at the Quail Valley Collegiate and a top-five finish at The Clerico in the fall.

Sullivan has been impactful in his first season with the Wildcats. The Vanderbilt transfer brought immediate consistency to the lineup, placing seventh at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup, 16th at the Quail Valley Collegiate and 10th at The Clerico. His steady presence alongside Svärd has strengthened Northwestern’s lineup and provided balance at the top.

Together, Svärd and Sullivan form the leadership core for Northwestern. Their performances set the tone each tournament and the Wildcats’ ceiling this season will largely be determined by how far these two can carry the team.

Sorting out the middle of the lineup

Northwestern has its top two contributors firmly established, but success in tournament play depends on the performance of the lineup’s remaining three spots. With five golfers competing in each event, the Wildcats will need to determine which players can consistently fill roles three through five as the season progresses.

Northwestern rotated several players during the fall, mixing and matching lineups that included Jeremy Chen, Monty Holcombe, Akshay Anand, Ethan Tseng, Archie Finnie, Isaac Lee and Mark Gazi. Chen appears to have positioned himself as a regular in the lineup after a strong start to his junior season, highlighted by a 16th-place finish at the Jackson T. Stephens Cup and an 18th-place result at the Quail Valley Collegiate.

Tseng remains one of the most intriguing candidates. Now a senior, he was a First Team All-Big Ten selection as a sophomore but has battled injuries in recent seasons. If healthy, his experience and past production suggest he could reclaim a prominent role. Holcombe, Finnie and Gazi also remain in the mix and will continue to compete for lineup spots.

How Northwestern sorts out positions three through five will be a major factor in the team’s success. Strong and consistent performances from the middle of the lineup could determine how far the Wildcats go this season.