2023 NCAA gymnastics championships: Oklahoma repeats as national champions, Trinity Thomas ties perfect 10s record

By Lisa AntonucciApr 14, 2023, 7:01 PM EDT

No. 1 Oklahoma completed a successful title defense Saturday at the 2023 NCAA women’s gymnastics championships in Fort Worth, Texas, marking the Sooners sixth national championship in the last decade. The Sooners moved into the lead during their first rotation — on vault — and never relinquished control, finishing with a total score of 198.3875.

Also making headlines at Dickies Arena was Florida’s Trinity Thomas, competing in the final meet of her celebrated college career. The 22-year-old Thomas competed in just two events due to a leg injury sustained at regionals, but the fifth-year senior made the most of it on Saturday, earning the 28th perfect 10 of her career on a flawless Yurchenko 1½ on vault. Her 28 perfect scores tied the NCAA record for the most ever with Kentucky’s Jenny Hansen (1993-96) and UCLA’s Jamie Dantzscher (2001-04), and helped the Gators to a second place finish, -.150 behind Oklahoma.

The momentum also continued for Utah’s Maile O’Keefe, the 2023 NCAA all-around and beam champion, who scored a perfect 10 on beam for the second straight day as the Red Rocks finished third, -.450 behind Oklahoma. LSU placed fourth, -.862 back.

FINAL RESULTS

TEAM	SCORE	LEAD
1. Oklahoma	198.3875
2. Florida	198.2375	-.150
3. Utah	197.9375	-.450
4. LSU	197.5250	-.862

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Utah’s Maile O’Keefe wins all-around, Jordan Chiles secures bars title with perfect 10

Utah’s Maile O’Keefe had a career night Thursday as the 21-year-old won this year’s NCAA all-around title, becoming the first Red Rock to win the NCAA all-around since 1999. O’Keefe, the 2017 U.S. junior all-around champion and 2021 NCAA bars and floor champion, also won the individual beam crown after scoring a perfect 10 in the semifinals. Her perfect 10 (the 10th of her college career) was enough to edge Olympic silver medalist Jordan Chiles for the all-around title, with O’Keefe finishing with 39.7625 points to Chiles’ 39.1725.

RELATED: Maile O’Keefe edges Jordan Chiles for NCAA all-around gymnastics title

Additionally, O’Keefe’s performance helped nine-time national champion No. 5 Utah advance to Saturday’s NCAA team final for the third year in a row. Also advancing the Saturday’s finals are the defending champion No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 2 Florida and No. 6 LSU.

𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝟏𝟎 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐎𝐔𝐑 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐌 𝐐𝐔𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐌𝐀𝐈𝐋𝐄 𝐎'𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐅𝐄‼️

📺 ESPN2
📲 https://t.co/Gh6jmhoiCx pic.twitter.com/ivrfmXFoMz

— Utah Gymnastics (@UtahGymnastics) April 14, 2023

Chiles, who was bidding to become the first Olympian to win the NCAA all-around title since Bridget Sloan in 2016, won two individual titles for UCLA, securing the crown in the uneven bars with the first perfect 10 of the semifinals and a 9.9875 on the floor. Oklahoma’s Olivia Trautman won the vault title with a 9.9500.

JORDAN CHILES IS PERFECT‼️#Pac12Gym | @uclagymnastics pic.twitter.com/iB0vc6eQQf

— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) April 14, 2023

SEMIFINAL RESULTS (teams in bold advance to Saturday’s final)

SESSION 1
TEAM	SCORE	LEAD
1. LSU	197.4750
2. Florida	197.4000	-.075
3. California	196.9125	-.563
4. Denver	196.5000	-.975
SESSION 2
TEAM	SCORE	LEAD
1. Utah	198.2250
2. Oklahoma*	198.1625	-.063
3. UCLA	197.9125	-.313
4. Kentucky	197.1250	-1.100

*NOTE: Oklahoma won the 2022 championship with a score of 198.2000, while Florida took second with a score of 198.0875.

How to watch the 2023 NCAA gymnastics championships

Watch all the action from this year’s championships at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, beginning with Thursday’s semifinals and finishing with the team final on Saturday.

Thursday, April 13

Semifinal I: 3 p.m. ET on ESPN2, streaming on ESPN+ (individual events feeds available)
Semifinal II: 9 p.m. ET on ESPN2, streaming on ESPN+ (individual events feeds available)

Saturday, April 15

Team Final: 4 p.m. ET on ABC, streaming on ESPN+ (individual events feeds available)

Who’s competing in the 2023 NCAA gymnastics championships?

The quest for the national title continues this week with eight teams, four all-arounders and 16 individual event specialists competing in two semifinals on Thursday, April 13. The road to nationals began at the end of March, with 36 teams qualifying for postseason competition via national qualifying score rankings (NQS for regionals). Regionals were held at four sites (Denver, Colo.; Los Angeles; Norman, Okla.; Pittsburgh, Pa.), with each regional featuring nine teams and a varying number of individuals. The top two teams from each region make up the eight-team field for the championships in Texas. They are (listed by semifinal):

Semifinal I teams:

No. 2 Florida
No. 7 California
No. 6 LSU
No. 14 Denver

Semifinal I individuals (school, event):

Courtney Blackson (Boise State, vault)
Elexis Edwards (Ohio State, floor)
Delanie Harkness (Michigan State, floor)
Payton Harris (Ohio State, all-around)
Emily Lopez (Boise State, bars)
Ava Piedrahita (Penn State, vault)
Cassidy Rushlow (Penn State, bars)
Alisa Sheremeta (Missouri, beam)
Gabrielle Stephen (Michigan State, beam)
Chloe Widner (Stanford, all-round)

Semifinal II teams:

No. 1 Oklahoma
No. 5 Utah
No. 4 UCLA
No. 9 Kentucky

Semifinal II individuals (school, event):

Luisa Blanco (Alabama, bars)
Sierra Brooks (Michigan, floor)
Jade Carey (Oregon State, beam)
Norah Flatley (Arkansas, beam)
Derrian Gobourne (Auburn, floor)
Abby Heiskell (Michigan, all-around)
Naomi Morrison (Michigan, vault)
Hannah Scharf (Arizona State, all-around)
Lauren Williams (Arkansas, vault)
Natalie Wojcik (Michigan, bars)

Past NCAA women’s gymnastics champions

YEAR	TEAM WINNER (points)	COACH	INDIVIDUAL/ALL-AROUND WINNER (school, points)	RUNNER-UP	HOST/SITE
2022	Oklahoma (198.2000)	K.J. Kindler	Trinity Thomas (Florida, 39.8125)	Florida	Fort Worth, TX
2021	Michigan (198.25)	Beverly Plocki	Anastasia Webb (Oklahoma, 39.7875)	Oklahoma	Fort Worth, TX
2020	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
2019	Oklahoma (198.3375)	K.J. Kindler	Maggie Nichols (Oklahoma, 39.7125)	LSU	Fort Worth, TX
2018	UCLA (198.0750)	Valorie Kondos Field	Maggie Nichols (Oklahoma, 39.8125)	Oklahoma	St. Louis
2017	Oklahoma (198.3875)	K.J. Kindler	Alex McMurtry (Florida, 39.8125)	LSU	ST. Louis
2016	Oklahoma (197.675)	K.J. Kindler	Bridget Sloan (Florida, 39.7000)	LSU	Fort Worth, TX
2015	Florida (197.850)	Rhonda Faehn	Kytra Hunter (Florida, 39.600), Samantha Peszek (UCLA)	Utah	Fort Worth, TX
2014	Florida, Oklahoma (198.175)	Rhonda Faehn, K.J. Kindler	Kim Jacob (Alabama, 39.625)	LSU	Birmingham, AL
2013	Florida (197.575)	Rhonda Faehn	Bridget Sloan (Florida, 39.600)	Oklahoma	UCLA

How do the NCAA women’s gymnastics championships work?

For the team competition: In the team competition, up to six gymnasts are allowed to compete on each event, with the five best scores counting toward the event total. Each event total is added together for the final team score. According to the NCAA, expect teams to aim for a score at least 49 on each event, with scores of 49.500 or higher considered excellent. The top teams are expected post total scores in the mid-to-high 197s, with a 198 or better considered “the gold standard.” The top two teams from each semifinal advance to the team final. The winner of the team final on April 15 is the national champion (ties are not broken).

A note about judging: While judges use the same “Code of Points” for postseason competition as they do during the regular season, there is a change in the number of judges. During the regular season, two judges score routines on each event, with the two scores averaged to determine the gymnast’s final score. At regionals, four judges score each routine, with the high and low scores dropped and the middle two averaged. At nationals, six judges score each routine with the high and low dropped and the middle four averaged. Additionally, two line judges will be assigned to the floor exercise to watch for gymnasts stepping out of bounds.

For the individual title: Individual national titles for the four events and the all-around are awarded based on results from the two semifinal competitions. To determine winners, results from the two sessions are combined, and those with the highest scores are crowned the national champions. Ties are not broken for these titles.

Preview rewind: Oklahoma takes aim at title defense

The 2023 NCAA women’s gymnastics championships open Thursday in Fort Worth, Texas, with eight teams and 20 individual qualifiers prepared to face off at Dickies Arena, where the Oklahoma Sooners aim to defend their national title and to secure their sixth championship in the last decade.

The defending champs are favored to repeat, and they’ve proven their depth after winning their home regional last week with a 198.085 despite having to count a fall on beam in the finals. Oklahoma has registered nine perfect 10s this season by four different gymnasts on all four events, with three of those gymnasts posting multiple perfect scores: Ragan Smith (three on beam), Jordan Bowers (one on bars, one on floor) and Katherine LeVasseur (three on vault).

But becoming repeat national champions will be no easy feat for the Sooners, who first must face a semifinal matchup that includes the Jordan Chiles-led UCLA Bruins as well as the nine-time national champion Utah, which also boasts eight runner-up finishes in the NCAA tournament.

The big question hanging over the tournament is whether for the Florida Gators superstar Trinity Thomas will be able to compete. The 22-year-old Thomas, a fifth-year senior and reigning NCAA all-around champion, sustained a lower-leg injury during her floor routine at the regional semifinal, stopping mid-action. She’s been listed as day-to-day since. Florida advanced without Thomas, however, posting a 197.800 and finishing second to the Cal Bears, whom they’ll face again in the first semifinal. If she does appear in the lineup Thursday, she’ll have a chance to move closer to the all-time perfect 10s record. With 27 in her college career, Thomas need one more to tie with Kentucky’s Jenny Hansen (1993-96) and UCLA’s Jamie Dantzscher (2001-04).

About all those perfect 10s this season… If it feels like they’ve been popping up in headlines more often, it’s because they have. According to Balance Beam Situation, gymnasts have earned 80 perfect 10s this season, up from 71 in 2022 (which was well up from the 31 in 2021 and 2020, and even the 37 before the pandemic in 2019). A recent AP report suggests the increase is due to the spike in talent, which has likely come due to athletes’ ability to take advantage of NIL opportunities.

The Pac-12 and SEC are tied for most teams participating in the NCAA semifinals with three each, while Michigan has the most individual competitors with four, led by Abby Heiskell in the all-around, Naomi Morrison in vault and Sierra Brooks on floor. On Tuesday, the 21-year-old Brooks was named winner of the 2023 AAI Award, given annually to the nation’s top senior women’s gymnast. The Illinois native recently scored her first perfect 10 on floor last week at regionals, which secured her spot in Texas. Brooks was one of six finalists, beating out Thomas, Alabama’s Luisa Blanco, Denver’s Kynnzee Brown, Utah’s Maile O’Keefe and Kentucky’s Raena Worley, all of whom are expected to compete in Fort Worth.

This year marks the third time Fort Worth has hosted the NCAA women’s gymnastics championships, which are scheduled stay in the venue through at least 2026 as the NCAA looks to establish a long-term site similar to College World Series in Omaha for baseball and Oklahoma City for softball.

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Li Li Leung talks USA Gymnastics’ cultural transformation, challenges still to come and embracing her AAPI heritage

By Lisa AntonucciMay 31, 2023, 9:59 AM EDT

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Li Li Leung joined USA Gymnastics as president and CEO in March 2019, when the organization was reeling from the fallout of Larry Nassar’s widespread sexual abuse and the subsequent revelations of larger cultural issues within the sport. Since then, Leung has seen USAG through an ongoing transformation, one that hinges on the work of the survivors and staff around her, whom she is quick to credit. That evolution, as she calls it, has included instituting new norms and standards at all levels of the sport, particularly in matters related to athlete safety.

Among the notable USAG initiatives that Leung has brought to fruition is the Athlete Bill of Rights, established in December 2020 as a tool “to unite the full gymnastics community around a shared vision of behavioral expectations.” At the same time, USAG instituted a protest policy for national team members aimed at supporting athletes who choose to use their voice on public platforms. Both initiatives were among the first of their kind in sport.

Prior to joining USAG, Leung served as a vice president at the National Basketball Association (NBA), where she was responsible for building and managing key partner relationships around the world. She continues to use that experience in her roles as vice chair of the National Governing Bodies Council of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and a member of the International Gymnastics Federation’s Executive Committee.

Leung, who began competing in gymnastics at age 7, was a member of the U.S. junior national training team and represented the U.S. at the 1988 Junior Pan American Games. She was a four-year member of the four-time Big 10 champion University of Michigan gymnastics team and was an NCAA Championships participant.

In honor of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, On Her Turf sat down with Leung to talk about her journey with USAG, the challenges still to come and how being a member of the AAPI community has shaped the person she is today.

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This Q+A has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.

On Her Turf: Let’s start by talking about your journey since joining USA Gymnastics in 2019. What have the last four years been like for you?

Li Li Leung: This was just an incredible opportunity to give back to the sport that has given so much to me. And I really mean that because I started in the sport when I was 7 years old and did it for 15 years. It’s taught me all of these different skills that I apply to my daily life, both professional and personal. It feels a little bit like I’ve come full circle, and honestly, never in a million years did I think I would find myself in this role. … I joined at a time when it was a tumultuous time for the organization. It’s been just a little a little over four years now, and it has been an incredible journey — and believe it or not, I have enjoyed it. While it hasn’t been easy, I actually have enjoyed it, because I’ve been able to make it not just me. One thing that’s important to note is that — I had even said on my first interview with the board — it will take a village to accomplish what we need to accomplish. This is not a one-person job. And I was lucky enough to be able to bring on a leadership team that has been incredible, and also retain the staff that we have retained, as well as hire other new staff members. And it’s because of them and some really key volunteers that we’ve been able to accomplish what we’ve been able to do.

OHT: Can you talk a little more about this cultural transformation that the organization has experienced and your approach to tackling this all-encompassing change?

Leung: When I was interviewing for the position, I actually met every single board member. It was really critical to both sides that they felt that I matched the role and their needs and also I had to be confident in the board believing in the ultimate mission of the organization and what we wanted to achieve. So that the culture really does stem from the well – from the top down and everything in between as well. And when I was looking for leadership team, … one of the characteristics I was really looking for was they couldn’t have an ego. The job couldn’t be about themselves or about what they would personally get out of the role. It had to be about them believing in the bigger picture and believing in what we collectively wanted to achieve. I knew that we would only be able to accomplish what we need to accomplish if people were willing to roll up their sleeves and just do whatever needed to be done, so that was one of the key things in terms of having no ego.

Since 2018, we’ve turned over more than 70 percent of our staff. We’ve been able to retain the really key members of our staff, who have been critical to our success, but also have been able to really bring in new thinking, new blood, new perspectives. Because the other thing I was looking for when I was hiring for the leadership team was diversity in perspectives. That was critical because I did not want to be surrounded by “yes people.” I wanted to be surrounded by people who would be willing to have really robust conversations and engage in difficult conversations, because ultimately, you end up in a better place because of that.

In 2020, we reset our mission to be about building a community and culture of health, safety and excellence, with athletes who thrive in sport and in life. So we were no longer about developing technically superior gymnasts who perform well in gym. We reset our focus to be about helping set our athletes up for success with the skill sets that you learn in gymnastics, and when we come to the office each day, that’s what we’re thinking about. …

The other piece is we also know from a community standpoint that our national team coaches are the most visible representation (of USAG), and a lot of coaches model them. So we’ve been working really hard in terms of working on educating our national team coaches. We work with Positive Coaching Alliance to do educational training with them as well. And we also have introduced training specifically for young coaches coming in, because we know when they come in and they’re new, that they’re eager to learn, and that’s when you can start training and moving them in a way. So our thinking is with this top-down and bottom-up strategy, eventually the middle will meet.

OHT: You noted how the coaches can be some of the most visible representatives of USAG. Regarding the addition of 2008 Olympic silver medalists Chellsie Memmel (USAG technical lead) and Alicia Sacramone Quinn (USAG strategic lead), how have those women impacted the program?

Leung: The addition of Chellsie and Alicia has been fantastic. They have been phenomenal to work with, and the fact that they have firsthand experience of having gone through it themselves – that also gives them a very good idea of what they would change and what they wouldn’t change, at the same time. It has been a phenomenal addition to be able to have this perspective of firsthand, high-level, high-performing athletes to be able to lead our high-performance team. And the athletes are saying it as well. They’re saying, “We trust them; we feel confident in their decisions; we can relate to them” — all of those things that historically haven’t really happened before.

Then in terms of the athletes who are going to college and coming back to compete with USA Gymnastics – there are so many aspects that I think are great about this. One: It’s showing a lengthened career in a sport that historically has not been very long because it’s so demanding on the body. So that means that our athletes are physically healthier, as well, that they can train and compete at a high level for a longer period of time. It also means that they’re enjoying it more because they’re staying in the sport. From an emotional standpoint, they’re finding a lot more joy in the sport, and they’re talking about it, too. And we love the fact that they’re talking about it. We want them to talk about it, and we want them to have voices and feel open and free about sharing what they’re thinking about. I have to say I’ve been really enjoying seeing almost like — I’m not sure if I can go as far as a new era in the sport maybe — but just this evolution of the sport and the athletes changing in front of my eyes.

OHT: What do you consider now to still be the biggest challenge or obstacle for USAG?

Leung: There are a couple of big initiatives on the list. One is we want to build a training and wellness center where all of our disciplines will train under one roof. This is a long-term project, obviously, but my vision around it is that it will be the heart and hub of gymnastics in America. And while this is where national team athletes will ultimately train to some extent, it is going to be a welcoming place for athletes of all different disciplines and all different levels. We want it to be a place where young athletes can come through and see their role models training. We want this to be a place of education for our community and judges. We want to be able to run clinics there for all different levels. We just want this to be a gathering place of gymnastics and to be able to celebrate the sport there at the same time.

We’re also going to reset our foundation. There’s been the National Gymnastics Foundation, but we are going to reset it and basically be much more proactive on fundraising and development to grow the sport and also to raise more money for athletes in their training.

OHT: Turning to AAPI Heritage Month and being named to the 2023 Gold House A100 List (the A100 is named each May honoring 100 Asian Pacific leaders who made the greatest impact on culture and society over the past year). What did that honor mean to you?

Leung: It was such an incredible honor to be recognized by them, and my fellow honorees — when I read the list, I thought to myself, “I don’t belong.” There are some incredible names on that list. But again, I go back to what I said earlier: I owe this honor to a lot of the other people who work [at USAG]. I think the really important thing to recognize is that this was not done by just me. It was done by a lot of other people who are on staff and who aren’t getting the accolades or the recognition. But it was an incredible experience to be, and I’m very, very touched and honored to be on that list.

OHT: How do you identify within the Asian American Pacific Islander community? Did you embrace your heritage growing up and how has that shaped who you are today?

Leung: So I’ll tell you a story that I’ve mentioned to other people recently. I grew up in a town called Ridgewood in Bergen County, New Jersey, and most of my friends had blond hair and blue eyes. When I was growing up, I wanted the name “Nancy Smith,” and I wanted blue eyes. I wanted to fit in. As a kid, you always want to fit in. Then when you get older and wizen up a little bit, you realize that it’s okay and it’s good to be different, that you can use that to your advantage. And so upon growing up, I realized that it’s pretty special to be Asian American and there are benefits to being Asian American, and you should embrace the fact that you are different. In fact, I recently lectured to a women-in-sports-business class, and one of the questions they asked me was about impostor syndrome. I said the same thing that I’m saying to you now, which is absolutely embrace who you are. Absolutely embrace your differences, because those ultimately are embedded advantages to who you are and make you stand out from the rest of the crowd. So that’s my philosophy now.

OHT: Do you or your family have any traditions that are especially important to you?

Leung: I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s a tradition, but in the Chinese culture, food is really important. Food is what brings people together. It’s a sign of respect, and that is the ultimate unifying language in a way. So when we do get together as a family, it’s really important for us to get together around a meal, because that’s when we share our stories. That’s when we connect with one another.

OHT: You might have just answered my next question, but I want to ask: What brings you joy about your heritage and culture?

Leung: It’s funny, I was actually at a conference last week and you were supposed to find someone you didn’t know in the conference and share a secret talent that you have. I shared that I can eat a lot more than most people think. Food is a really important part of our culture and in my upbringing and family.

OHT: Lastly, I wanted to ask, as we’ve seen an increase in hate-filled actions toward the AAPI community, what does supporting the AAPI community look like for you?

Leung: Well, I think kind of going back to my other answer, it’s just about embracing who you are and embracing your differences. I think part of it is being unafraid of it at the same time, which I know is really difficult. But if you’re going to truly embrace it, and then you can’t be afraid about embracing it at the same time.

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2023 Mizuho Americas Open: How to watch, who’s playing in inaugural LPGA event at Liberty National GC

By Lisa AntonucciMay 30, 2023, 5:03 PM EDT

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The Statue of Liberty is the backdrop for this week’s inaugural Mizuho Americas Open at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, New Jersey. The tournament boasts a theme of mentorship and education, and includes a girls’ 72-hole, modified Stableford tournament featuring 24 juniors to go along with the 72-hole stroke-play event for 120 LPGA professionals.

The field is led by seven of the top 10 players on the Rolex Rankings including world No. 1 Jin Young Ko, No. 3 Lydia Ko, No. 4 Lilia Vu and No. 5 Minjee Lee. Also teeing it up this week are the finalists from Sunday’s Bank of Hope LPGA Match-Play, where Thailand’s Pajaree Anannarukarn captured her second LPGA title with a 3-and-1 victory over Japan’s Ayaka Furue.

Michelle Wie West is serving as the tournament host, and she’ll be on hand to welcome fellow Stanford alum Rose Zhang, who’s fresh off her second straight NCAA individual title and turned professional just last week. Zhang will have her first go at an LPGA prize purse, which tops out at $2.75 million this week with the winner taking home $412,500.

How to watch the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open

You can watch the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open on Golf Channel, Peacock, NBCSports.com and the NBC Sports app. Check out the complete TV and streaming schedule:

Thursday, June 1: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
Friday, June 2: 11 a.m.-2 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
Saturday, June 3: 5-8 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock
Sunday, June 4: 4:30-5 p.m. ET (streaming only on Peacock); 5-7:30 p.m. ET, Golf Channel and Peacock

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Who’s playing in the 2023 Mizuho Americas Open?

The 120-player field features seven of the top 10 players (and 16 of the top 25 player) on the Rolex Rankings:

No. 1 Jin Young Ko
No. 3 Lydia Ko
No. 4 Lilia Vu
No. 5 Minjee Lee
No. 6 Atthaya Thitikul
No. 8 Brooke Henderson
No. 9 Georgia Hall

Also in the field are 2023 winners Celine Boutier (LPGA Drive On Championship), Ruoning Yin (DIO Implant LA Open) and Grace Kim (LOTTE Championship), plus several sponsor exemptions including reigning NCAA individual champion Rose Zhang and her Stanford teammate Megha Ganne. Ganne, a native of Holmdel, N.J., finished T-21 at the recent NCAAs and is playing as an amateur. Joining them as an exemption is fellow Cardinal Mariah Stackhouse, who has conditional status on tour in 2023. Monday qualifiers include tour rookie Alexa Pano and Australia’s Sarah Jane Smith.

Among the notable juniors expected to play are 2022 Augusta National Women’s Amateur winner Anna Davis, 2022 U.S. Girls’ Junior winner Yana Wilson and 2022 U.S. Junior Girls’ runnerup Gianna Clemente. The 24 junior players were invited through their standings in the Rolex AJGA Rankings.

What’s the format for the Mizuho Americas Open?

The professionals will play a 72-hole stroke-play competition, with a cut to the top 50 and ties after 36 holes. The 24 juniors will play a 72-hole, no-cut competition using the modified Stableford scoring format and a different yardage than the pros.

During the first two rounds, the AJGA players will all be paired together. During the final two rounds, one junior player will play with two LPGA pros with groupings based on scores. This unique format marks the first time the AJGA and LPGA have partnered to showcase junior and professional competitors playing together.

Stableford scoring refresher: “Stableford” is a scoring system that awards points for the number of strokes taken on each hole in relation to par, rather than simply counting strokes like in stroke play. Unlike in stroke play, where players want the lowest score, the goal in Stableford scoring is to have the highest score. Standard Stableford points values are:

0 Points – Double bogey or worse (two strokes or more over par)
1 Point – Bogey (one stroke over par)
2 Points – Par
3 Points – Birdie (one stroke under par)
4 Points – Eagle (two strokes under par)
5 Points – Albatross or double eagle (three strokes under par)
6 Points – Condor (four strokes under par)

More about Liberty National Golf Club

Located on the shore of the Upper Bay of New York Harbor, Liberty National Golf Club was designed by Bob Cupp and Tom Kite and officially opened on July 4, 2006. After the course received mixed reviews following the PGA Tour’s Northern Trust in 2009, the course underwent a renovation led by Steve Wenzloff of PGA Tour Design Services. Of note, the course hosted an event during the PGA Tour Playoffs four times (2009, 2013, 2019 and 2021) as well as the 2017 Presidents Cup, where the U.S. defeated the Internationals 19-11 for the Americans’ seventh consecutive victory in the competition and its 10th straight win overall. For this week’s event, the course will play to a par of 72 with an unofficial scorecard yardage of 6,671 yards.

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Utah’s Maile O’Keefe wins all-around, Jordan Chiles secures bars title with perfect 10

RELATED: Maile O’Keefe edges Jordan Chiles for NCAA all-around gymnastics title

How to watch the 2023 NCAA gymnastics championships

Who’s competing in the 2023 NCAA gymnastics championships?

Past NCAA women’s gymnastics champions

How do the NCAA women’s gymnastics championships work?

Preview rewind: Oklahoma takes aim at title defense

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