CARLSBAD, Calif.- Texas A&M sophomore Marijosse Navarro earned a sponsor exemption to compete at the LPGA Kia Classic, which starts on Thursday, March 26 and runs through Sunday, March 29 at the Aviara Golf Club.
Navarro starts play on the par 72 / 6,593 yard course on Thursday at 9:22 a.m. CT/7:22 a.m. PT off of the 10th hole. Coverage of the Kia Classic runs from 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. CT on the Golf Channel on each day of the four-day tournament.
Navarro received the exemption upon winning the UC Irvine Invitational presented by Kia on Feb. 24 at the Santa Ana Country Club.
“It's a great opportunity, and this is actually the second LPGA event I will play in, Navarro said. “When I was 13, I played in an LPGA event in Mexico. It was a very fun experience, and this time, I will be ready to compete.”
The Mexico City, Mexico native was named medalist at the UC Irvine Invitational after winning a playoff on the fifth hole. She birdied the 18th hole on the final round to get to five-under par 211 (72-68-71) and force the play-off with USC's Gabriella Then. The duo matched scores until Navarro one-putted for par on the 14th hole. Then pushed her final four-foot putt wide giving Navarro the victory.
“Gabriella (Then) was making every shot and every putt. I knew I was going to need to put it on myself to win, she wasn't going to mess up, Navarro remembered. “That was my mindset going into the 18th hole. During the playoff holes, I was very nervous. Both of us had a chance to win, and, in the end, I'm just very happy it was me.”
The win at the UC Irvine Invitational presented by Kia was the first of back-to-back tournament titles for the sophomore as she won the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational held in Hawaii on Mar. 11. She has three career tournament titles.
Navarro is currently ranked sixth nationally by Golfstat and owns a 70.94 scoring average over 18 rounds.