The No. 2-ranked New York University women's golf team is in fourth place after the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Division III Women's Golf Championship at Desert Willow Golf Resort on Tuesday.

The championship field features 34 teams and six individuals competing over 72 holes across four days. Following Wednesday's second round, the field will be cut to the top 15 teams and the top six individuals not on advancing teams.

The Violets finished the day at +8 as a team, trailing Carnegie Mellon University (+3), Washington and Lee University (+4), and Emory University (+5).

Inha Jun led the way for NYU during the opening round, finishing tied for fifth place at one-under par with a round score of 71. Jiayi Fu finished tied for 18th at one-over par, while Sonia Hao tied for 35th at three-over. Naomi Tan finished tied for 56th at five-over and Tiya Chowdary tied for 68th at six-over after round one. 

NYU entered the championship as the No. 2 overall seed after winning the Liberty League Championship earlier this month. The Violets also captured team titles this spring at the Jekyll Island Invitational, the Stith Invitational, and the Jack Leaman Invitational heading into NCAA Championship play.

Round two of the NCAA Championship will begin Wednesday morning in Palm Desert.