Southern California’s Malia Nam, a 2018 Kaiser alumna, was named the Pac-12 freshman of the year in women’s golf on Tuesday.
Nam, who recorded eight top-12 finishes in tournaments this season, helped USC win seven tournaments including both a Pac-12 and NCAA regional championship.
Nam also made the All-Pac-12 first team and was named a second-team All-American after finishing third on the Trojans with a 72.57 scoring average. She had four finishes in the top seven of a tournament and tied a team-high with seven rounds in the 60s.
She’s the fifth conference freshman/newcomer of the year in school history, joining Annie Park (2013), Sophia Popov (2011), Jennifer Song (2009) and Lizette Salas (2010).
“Malia had an incredible year for our team and she played a monster part in each of our seven wins this season,” first-year USC coach Justin Silverstein said in a press release. “Her presence in our lineup provided us with a bunch of stability which helped us be able to compete in every tournament we played this season.
“For a freshman to come in and end up ranked 12th in Golfweek and 13th in Golfstat is something really special and we cannot wait to see what else Malia is able to do in her time at USC.”
In her first collegiate event, Nam finished second as 12-under 284 with rounds of 69, 66 and 69 at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate. Nam’s 12 under tied her for the second-most under par performance in a 54-hole event in school history, one off the school mark on a 72-par course, and she is just one of five Trojans to post a 204 or lower.
She shot in the 60s in each of her first four collegiate rounds and finished in the top 12 in her first five tournaments overall. She also tied for second place at the Silverado Showdown and added a third-place finish at the East Lake Cup.
Nam ended the season finishing in a tie for ninth place at the NCAA Cle Elum Regional at 4-under 212 and won her NCAA Championship match play match.
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