Northwestern golf's Ashley Yun, Dianna Lee to compete in Augusta National Women's Amateur tournament

Ashley Yun and Dianna Lee were a big part of a magical run for the Northwestern women's golf team last year.

This time around, they're looking for more team success with a pretty cool individual opportunity ahead for both of them as well.

The Northwestern women's golf team knows it can compete with any team in the country.

"There is a sense of belief. No one can ever take that away from you what we accomplished, and so, and what they accomplished, and we remind them of that. 'You probably didn't think you could do that, and you did do it,'" said coach Emily Fletcher.

What they did was win the first national championship in the history of Northwestern's women's golf, and they did so in thrilling fashion with Dianna Lee sinking a putt on the 18th hole to win her match and the championship.

"It was a great putt. I had a great putt. And all I can really remember from the moment was the minute that I realized the moment of realization that the putt went in, and what that meant. So, everything was a whirlwind after that," Lee said.

The whirlwind, including Lee racing into the arms of her teammate and roommate, Ashley Yun.

"I run into D's arms, and I literally could not let go of her. I don't think I hugged anyone until Pat was like, 'Okay, we gotta go.' The whole team was there, but it was also like a one-on-one moment for me and Dianna, too, and I think that was also just so amazing," Yun said.

Ashley Yun and Dianna Lee have a pretty cool opportunity coming up. They will be the latest Northwestern golfers to compete in the Augusta National Women's Amateur tournament, the first week of April, ahead of The Masters.

"You know, this Augusta National Women's Am has become something that's circled and double-starred as an aspiration, and so I think for both of them it's a dream come true," Fletcher said.

"Yeah. It's super exciting. We've been talking about it. Me and Dianna, we're roommates, so it was really fun to kinda get that together," Yun said.

"I'm very much looking forward to it. We had the incredible opportunity to just view the course and play for fun earlier in January of 2025, but having the opportunity to actually compete on the course is a totally different thing, and I'm very, very grateful to have that experience and see what I can make of it," Lee said.

That event takes place during a bit of a break in Northwestern's spring schedule, giving Yun and Lee the chance to compete in Augusta, then return to Evanston to focus on a potential repeat.

"When you come off a national win, I think what naturally pops up in your head is, 'Can we do it again?' And I say match play is anyone's game, and if we have the opportunity to make it there, then so be it, we'll try to do it again," Lee said.

As Dianna Lee put it, if they believe it, they can do it, and this group certainly has the belief.