Saint Germain Captures Individual Title at Jim West Challenge

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Posting her third straight round in the 60s, University of Houston Women's Golf senior Natalie Saint Germain captured the individual championship of the Jim West Challenge with a score of 10-under 206 at Kissing Tree Golf Club on Monday afternoon.

Saint Germain took advantage of four birdies and a pair of eagles – her second and third of the tournament – to claim the first title of her collegiate career.

As a team, the Cougars tied for the third-lowest round of the day at 283 and rose into a tie with Oklahoma for third at 3-under 861.

Starting off No. 1 in the Final Round, Saint Germain quickly moved into red numbers with a birdie but returned to par with a bogey at No. 3.

The Prague native made eagle on the par-5 fifth hole – her second of the tournament – but gave a stroke back with bogey on the next hole. Fortunately, she rebounded to make eagle on the par-4 seventh hole to close her first nine at 34.

Saint Germain made birdie at No. 12 and overcame a bogey at No. 14 with a birdie on the next hole and moved into the lead for good with another eagle on the 473-yard, par-5 fifth hole to finish at 10-under 206.

Her score bested her previous low of 207 at the Schooner Fall Classic (Sept. 24-26, 2022) while her championship

topped her best previous finish of fourth at the Riverbend Intercollegiate (March 10-11, 2025) and the Mo'Morial Invitational (Sept. 20-21, 2022).

Saint Germain became the third Cougar to win the fifth individual title under Carolyn Macow Leatherwood Head Coach Lydia Lasprilla. She joined current teammate and fellow senior Moa Svedenskiöld (three titles) and current teammate and junior Ellen Yates (one title).

Jim West Challenge, Final Leaderboard

Senior Alexa Saldaña joined Saint Germain with a 68 on Monday and finished with a score of 4-under 212 to rise into a tie for 11^th.

The Mexico City native began her day off No. 2 and quickly moved into red numbers with three straight birdies at Nos. 3-5.

Saldaña birdied two of her final four holes to rise four places into a tie for 11^th at 4-under 212. She joined Foong Zi Yu (UNLV) in a tie with that score.

Junior Ellen Yates tied for 30^th at 221 while senior Moa Svedenskiöld tied for 38^th at 223. Making her season debut, junior Maelynn Kim tied for 51^st at 226 while sophomore Emilia Väistö tied for 60^th at 229.

Texas A&M won the team championship with a score of 849 to finish one shot ahead of Florida State. Following the Cougars and Oklahoma, TCU (865), Texas Tech (867), North Texas (870), UNLV (873), Texas State (875) and Ohio State (880) rounded out the Top 10.

North Texas' Malisone Chanthapanya finished second at 207 while Vanessa Borovilos (Texas A&M) and Majo Ambroziak (Texas Tech) tied for third at 208. Cayetana Fernandez Garcia-Poggio (Texas A&M) and Nellie Ong (Ohio State) tied for fourth at 209.

UP NEXT
Following the Jim West Challenge, the Cougars close their fall season at the Landfall Tradition at Country Club of Landfall in Wilmington, N.C., on Oct. 24-26.

From there, the Cougars will compete in the one-day, 36-hole The Bear Brawl at Ridgewood Country Club in Waco, Texas, in a recent addition to the fall schedule.

After the winter break, Houston returns to action to begin its spring season at the Collegiate Individual at Guadalajara Country Club in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Jan. 30-31.

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