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ANNIKA Award: Final watch list for 2020-21 season

The postseason is underway in women’s golf, and after this week’s NCAA Regionals, the NCAA Women’s Championship field is set for May 21-26 at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona.

With that championship field set, the race for the ANNIKA Award is starting to heat up. A handful of players have shone throughout the season as front-runners for the ANNIKA Award, which honors the player of the year in women’s college golf, as selected by college golfers, coaches and members of the college golf media.

The players are listed alphabetically. Players on the ANNIKA Award Watch List were selected by a panel of Golfweek and Golf Channel writers.

Allisen Corpuz, USC

Allisen Corpuz

Allisen Corpuz (USC Athletics)

In her fifth year on the USC roster, Corpuz has been a rock for the Trojans. She won twice in eight tournaments and has been in the lead spot for her team in six outings. Corpuz has played to a 71.54 scoring average this season.

Karen Fredgaard, Houston

Karen Fredgaard, Houston

Karen Fredgaard, a Houston sophomore, won the individual title at the UCF Challenge on Feb. 2. (Houston Athletics)

Fredgaard is a strong player who started her spring season with the individual win at the UCF Challenge, where cold, windy conditions made for a challenging week. She was an individual qualifier out of the NCAA Women’s Regional in Baton Rouge.

Linn Grant, Arizona State

Linn Grant hits out of the bunker on the first hole during the third round of the U.S. Women’s Open at Champions Golf Club. (Photo: Thomas Shea-USA TODAY Sports)

The Arizona State sophomore got on one of the hottest streaks of any player mid-spring, winning three full-field events in a row. She just finished T2 at the NCAA Regional in Columbus.

Rachel Heck, Stanford

Anne Walker, Rachel Heck

This Stanford freshman’s spring 2021 resume is as impressive as anyone’s. As soon as Heck got in the lineup, she started winning. She has won her last four starts (most recently the NCAA Stanford Regional) and has won five of her last seven starts.

Ingrid Lindblad, LSU

Augusta National Women's Amateur - Final Round

Ingrid Lindblad of Sweden plays her shot from the third tee during the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club on April 03, 2021 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Lindblad is a strong and steady player who has won twice this season but has finished inside the top 3 six times.

Ana Pelaez, South Carolina

Ana Pelaez, South Carolina

Ana Pelaez, South Carolina (South Carolina Athletics)

Leading up to the postseason, the fifth-year senior didn’t finish outside the top 10 in a stroke-play start all spring after not playing in the fall. She was South Carolina’s top finisher (T12) at the NCAA Louisville Regional.

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard, South Carolina

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard

Pauline Roussin-Bouchard tied for third at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. (Michael Holahan/Augusta Chronicle)

Roussin-Bouchard became known for her firepower on the course as the season progressed. The Frenchwoman won four times total, including the SEC individual title. In those victories she was 14 under, 13 under, 15 under and 17 under.

Emma Spitz, UCLA

Emma Spitz, UCLA

Emma Spitz, UCLA (UCLA Athletics)

Spitz is coming off the individual title at the NCAA Louisville Regional, where she went 8 under to win by five shots. The rest of her spring season has been quite consistent. She has five top-4 finishes and has only finished outside the top 10 once this year.

Maja Stark, Oklahoma State

Maja Stark of Sweden plays a shot on the second hole during the final round of the Augusta National Women’s Amateur at Augusta National Golf Club on April 03, 2021 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Stark has won twice this season, and was the individual runner-up at the Big 12 Championship. She recently finished third at the NCAA Stanford Regional. Every time she has teed it up this season, Stark has finished T14 or better.

Beatrice Wallin, Florida State

Beatrice Wallin, Florida State

Beatrice Wallin, Florida State (FSU Athletics/Ross Obley)

Wallin owns two individual titles on the season, with her most recent performances being a runner-up at the ACC Championship and a seventh-place showing at the NCAA Louisville Regional.

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