Nothing drives Maria Fassi like failure.
Fassi was the Annika Award last year as the best player in women's golf as a junior at Arkansas, only to play some of her worst golf in the NCAA championships. She returned for her senior season, motivated to atone for the way last year ended, especially with the NCAAs at Blessings Golf Club, the home course of the Razorbacks.
Fassi, with her high energy and a powerful swing, delivered a bogey-free round of 68 to win the NCAA individual title by four shots. She is the first woman from Arkansas to win the NCAA title since Stacy Lewis in 2007.