AMARILLO, Texas – Western Washington University women's golfer Lauren F. Lee played the best golf of her collegiate career when it mattered the most, moving up the leaderboard on Wednesday at the 2025 NCAA II West Regional Championships to earn one of two individual qualifying spots for the national championship.
 
After an 11-over-par 82 in Monday's first round in rainy and windy conditions at the par 71 Tascosa Golf Club, the three-day, 54-hole tournament was paused Tuesday due to weather conditions. Lee regrouped for Wednesday's 36-hole marathon, moving up from 66th place to a tie for 8th place in the 102-player field. The First Team All-GNAC selection played the final 36 holes at 5-under-par with collegiate low rounds of 3-uner-par 68 and 2-under-par 69. 
 
"Words can't describe how impressive today was with Lauren…it was a clinic," said WWU Director of Golf Luke Bennett from Amarillo. "Talk about complete control of every facet of her game. Lauren had an incredible up-beat demeanor throughout the round. It was as impressive as I've seen, and I could not be prouder of her accomplishment to qualify for nationals."
 
Lee's tournament total of 6-over-par 219 not only marked her seventh top-10 finish in 10 events this season but earned one of two individual qualifier spots from the West Regional to earn a spot at nationals. The top five finishing teams and top two individuals not part of those teams punched their ticket to nationals, with Lee joining Arnie Taguines of UT Tyler for individual qualifier spots.
 
During the 54-hole tournament Lee recorded nine birdies to tie for 5th-most in the tournament field, with four coming in the second round and five in the final round (all coming on Wednesday).
 
Lee (Pleasanton, CA) is the first Viking to qualify for the national championship as an individual since Katie Sharpe in 2010. Lee's second-round 3-under-par 68 tied the school record for low single-round score with current teammate Emma Worgum in spring 2024 and Megan Billeter in 2021.