A Legacy of Excellence: The History of UCLA Women's Golf
The UCLA Bruins represent the University of California, Los Angeles, participating in NCAA Division I, the Big Ten Conference, and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF). UCLA's athletic history is rich with championships across various sports. Among these esteemed programs, the UCLA women's golf team has carved its own impressive legacy.
Early Years and the AIAW Championship
The UCLA women's golf team has a storied past, marked by significant achievements and contributions to collegiate athletics. The women's team won the national championship in 1971 (DGWS), 1991, 2004 and 2011. Before the NCAA formally recognized women's golf, the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) was a leading governing body. The Bruins secured an AIAW title in 1978, demonstrating their early prowess in the sport.
NCAA Era Begins
Golf was one of twelve women's sports added to the NCAA championship program for the 1981-82 school year. The Division I competition started in 1982. From its inception through 2014, it was a stroke play team competition with an additional individual award. The NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championship, played in the month of May, is the annual competition in women's collegiate golf for individuals and teams from universities in Division I.
The 1991 NCAA Victory
The Bruins clinched the NCAA Women's Golf Championship in 1991, marking a significant milestone in the program's history. This victory solidified UCLA's position as a national contender in women's collegiate golf.
The 2004 National Championship
On May 22, the Bruins defeated second-place Oklahoma State by three strokes and top-ranked Duke by 11 strokes to win the 2004 national championship in a rain-delayed final round. “This is one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had,” said Head Coach Carrie Forsyth ’94 after the Bruins had clinched only their second title in school history. The Bruins played the final round in two-over par 290 and finished with a 72-hole score of 1,148, four-under par. Individually, UCLA received clutch performances from All-Americans Charlotte Mayorkas and Mathews. Mayorkas played the back nine in three-under par 33 for a final round score of 70, while Mathews played the inward nine in two-under par 34 for an even par round of 72. Mathews wrote on Day 6: “It’s pretty awesome to win this thing,”. “It was quite hot most of the day, but we settled down and pulled through in the end. I’m carrying the trophy right now. “On the last hole, I looked at the leaderboard and saw that we were three shots ahead. When I made my putt, there was all sorts of cheering.
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Susie Mathews, a member of the second-ranked UCLA women’s golf team, wrote about team bonding, on Day 3 of the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships at Auburn’s Grand National Resort in Opelika, Ala.
The 2011 NCAA Championship
The Bruins continued their tradition of excellence by capturing another national title in 2011. This victory underscored the program's consistent ability to compete at the highest level and marked their most recent NCAA championship win.
Recent Seasons and Challenges
The team narrowly qualified for regionals, placing seventh in a field of 18 in the Big Ten tournament. In the NCAA championships at the Omni La Costa Resort & Spa in Carlsbad, California, the No. 5 seed UCLA women’s golf closed out its season finishing 12th. The Bruins finished the fourth round of stroke play 19-over par, with the last day being their best at only 1-over. “It just came down to a matter of execution in the end,” said coach Alicia Um Holmes. In the first two rounds, the Bruins stacked up 39 bogeys, with nine being doubles. They added another 41 and two in the latter two rounds, respectively. Freshman Angela Liu placed best among the Bruins in the championship, finishing tied for 24th with 2-over 290. Senior Tiffany Le rounded out her college career tied for 47th, shooting 8-over 296. Last season, UCLA was within striking distance of the trophy, only to have it slip through its fingertips to Stanford in the final round of matchplay.
Notable Players and Coaches
The UCLA women's golf program has been shaped by talented players and dedicated coaches. Carrie Forsyth, coach of the Bruins, said after the 2004 win, “This is one of the greatest feelings I’ve ever had". Many former Bruin golf professionals include Scott McCarron, John Merrick, Corey Pavin, and Duffy Waldorf.
UCLA Athletics: A Broader Context
The UCLA Bruins have a celebrated athletic history, boasting numerous NCAA championships across various sports. As of December 7, 2025, UCLA has won 125 NCAA team championships, second to Stanford's 135. Other notable achievements include:
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- Men's Basketball: 11 NCAA championships, with a record 88 consecutive wins from 1971 to 1974.
- Men's Golf: 2 NCAA Championships, in 1988 and 2008.
- Women's Gymnastics: 7 NCAA Women's Gymnastics championships, including titles in 1997, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2010, and 2018.
- Men's Volleyball: 21 NCAA titles, 19 under coach Al Scates.
- Softball: 13-time NCAA champions, with titles in 1978, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2010 and 2019.
- Men's Tennis: 16 national championships.
- Women's Tennis: National championships in 1981 (AIAW), 2008 and 2014.
- Men's Soccer: National championships in 1985, 1990, 1997, and 2002.
- Women's Volleyball: The women's team has captured 8 of the championships since it became an NCAA sponsored event.
- Water Polo: Multiple NCAA championships for both men's and women's teams.
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