CARLSBAD, Calif. — Rachel Heck started walking after her ball before it was close to the hole. It seemed as if she started reaching into the cup before the putt dropped.
It was clear early on. In her final collegiate start, Heck was leaving nothing in the table.
The senior for Stanford was the anchor, and she delivered in a big way. Her victory against Kate Villegas secured the 2024 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship for the Cardinal, topping UCLA 3-2 in the match play final.
The win was Stanford’s second title in three years and third overall and a fitting end Heck’s career as one of the best Stanford players of all-time.
Heck clinched the final point on the par-4 15th hole, winning her match 4 and 3. She closes her career with her second team title, and Heck also won the 2021 NCAA individual title as a freshman.
It’s the third title for Stanford in the match-play era, the only school to win three titles since the switch to match play.
Kelly Xu earned the first point for Stanford with a 4-and-3 win against UCLA’s Meghan Royal. Then Megha Ganne added the second point, beating Natalie Vo 3 and 2.
Fans rushed from the 16th green over to the 15th, and then Heck finished the job one last time.
Championship match results
No. 1 Stanford vs. No. 6 UCLA
- Kelly Xu (Stanford) def. Meghan Royal (UCLA), 4 and 3
- Megha Ganne (Stanford) def. Natalie Vo (UCLA), 3 and 2
- Zoe Campos (UCLA) def. Sadie Englemann (Stanford), 4 and 3
- Rachel Heck (Stanford) def. Kate Villegas (UCLA), 4 and 3
- Caroline Canales (UCLA) def. Paula Martin Sampedro (Stanford) 2 up