Despite a tough ending in Tallahassee, Northwestern capped off a strong season, highlighted by a standout performance from senior Cameron Adam.
After placing 12th at the Big Ten Championships, the Wildcats traveled to Florida for the NCAA Tallahassee Regional as the No. 6 seed. To advance to the NCAA Championships, NU needed a top-five finish in a competitive field that included No. 3 Ole Miss and host No. 11 Florida State, led by standout Luke Clanton.
Northwestern couldn’t recover from a slow start and ultimately placed 10th, bringing their season to a close. One bright spot: senior Cameron Adam delivered a stellar solo fifth-place finish, closing out his Wildcat career on a high note.
Northwestern got off to a decent but underwhelming start in round one, posting a 2-over team score. Daniel Svärd paced the ’Cats with a 2-under 70, highlighted by back-to-back birdies on the par-4 16th and 17th holes, making five birdies total. Adam added a steady 1-under 71 with four birdies of his own, helping NU finish the day in seventh and within striking distance of the top five.
Round two brought tougher conditions, and the Wildcats slipped to 10th after carding a 6-over team score. Adam was the clear standout on day two, firing a 3-under 69 that included two eagles—on the par-5 4th and par-5 11th. No other NU player broke par on the day, leaving the team nine shots off the NCAA Championship cut line heading into the final round.
On day three, NU shot another 2-over round to finish 10-over for the tournament and in solo 10th place. While the team came up short of advancing, Adam capped off his collegiate career with a superb 4-under 68, featuring four birdies and 14 pars. He caught fire midway through the round, making four birdies in a five-hole stretch before closing with three straight pars. Niall Shiels-Donegan also posted his best score of the week with a 1-under 71.
The course played tough throughout the week, with a tournament scoring average of 73.50 on the par-72 layout. Round two proved the most difficult, averaging 74.13. Only five holes played under par, including all three par-5s. The par-4 10th ranked as the most challenging, playing to an average of 4.35. NU tied for the most eagles in the field with three and ranked seventh in par-4 scoring at 4.15.
Adam led the way for Northwestern with three impressive under-par rounds, shooting 71, 69 and 68 over the three days. He totaled nine birdies and two eagles, and was particularly strong on the par-4s, finishing 2-under on those holes—fourth-best in the field. On a challenging course, Adam stood out from start to finish, ultimately placing solo fifth at 8-under for the tournament. He missed qualifying for the NCAA Championship by just one stroke, as only the lowest-scoring individual not on an advancing team moves on. It was a heartbreaking near miss, but a phenomenal performance to close the final tournament of his outstanding Northwestern career.
Svärd and Shiels-Donegan also had solid showings. Svärd opened with a strong 2-under round but followed with 3-over and 6-over scores to finish 7-over and tied for 45th. Despite the tough finish, the junior had a fantastic season, highlighted by a co-championship at The Goodwin and consistent top-tier play. Shiels-Donegan saved his best for last, carding a 1-under 71 in the final round with four birdies, also tying for 45th alongside Svärd.
Ethan Tseng, Mark Gazi and Archie Finnie rounded out the Wildcat lineup. Tseng posted two rounds of 2-over and made six birdies en route to a tie for 54th at 10-over. Gazi competed in two rounds, shooting 76 and 73, finishing 72nd with five birdies. Finnie played one round, a 4-over 76, and made three birdies—including a highlight eagle on the par-5 14th.
While the finish was disappointing, the season as a whole showed tremendous promise. With key contributors like Svärd, Tseng and Shiels-Donegan returning, the Wildcats will bring back a strong core next season. There’s every reason to believe NU will build on this year’s progress and come back even stronger.