Wake Forest Women’s Golf Carolina Chacarra Announced as 2025 Juli Inkster Award Recipient

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - Announced on Tuesday, May 27 at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio, Wake Forest women's golf senior Carolina Lopez-Chacarra has been awarded the Inkster Award presented by Workday, which recognizes the highest-ranked women's collegiate golfer in her final year of NCAA eligibility.

Named after Juli Inkster, a three-time All-American at San Jose State, the award highlights and rewards collegiate athletes who have spent all four years at their respective institution prior to beginning their professional career. Inkster opted to finish out four years at her institution before turning pro in 1983. The 1982 Broderick Award recipient won three consecutive US Women's Amateur championships from 1980 to 1982, becoming the first woman to do so since 1934.

"It is an unbelievable honor for Carolina to be selected for the Juli Inkster Award," said Wake Forest women's golf head coach Kim Lewellen. "Juli Inkster not only won 31 times on tour, but ALSO showcases professionalism and a willingness to give back to the game, especially for those young ladies who made the decision to stay the four years and graduate with a degree instead of turning professional early. That is the spirit of this award, and Carolina embodies that. It is perfect timing in her golf career for all the opportunities that the Juli Inkster Award presented by Workday provides, including two LPGA starts, as well as financial support in her transition to professional golf. This award is a true honor."

As a recipient of this distinguished award, Chacarra will receive the following:

Sponsor invitations to compete in the 2025 Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give (June 12-15) at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Mich.; and The Standard Portland Classic, (Aug. 14-17) at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Ore.

She will automatically advance to the Qualifying Stage (Second Stage) of 2025 LPGA Qualifying Series (Q-Series), Oct. 15-18 at Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Fla.

As a presenting sponsor of the Inkster Award, Workday will provide $50,000 to the Juli Inkster Foundation to help support Lopez-Chacarra's transition to her professional golf career. The $50,000 will support Lopez-Chacarra's mentorship retreat with Inkster and assist with her travel expenses.

She will join Inkster on a two-day mentorship retreat in Northern California.

"I'm thrilled to be the recipient of this year's Juli Inkster Award presented by Workday and to receive this award," Chacarra said in a release by the Inkster Award. "Juli has had an incredible career on tour and I aspire to follow in her footsteps. Thank you to Workday and Juli Inkster for this mentorship and opportunity to kick-start my professional career."

Chacarra wrapped her collegiate career with an individual and team title at the NCAA Lubbock Regional in Lubbock, Texas, where she shot six-under par (204) and helped the Deacons punch their ticket to the 2025 NCAA Championships in Carlsbad, Calif.

The four-time All-American capped off her collegiate career ranked No. 6 on Scoreboard and with a 70.88 scoring average for the 2024-25 season, the lowest of her career. During her time at Wake Forest, she recorded four individual titles, 15 top-five finishes, and a 71.38 scoring average through 122 rounds.

A member of the 2023 NCAA National Championship team, Chacarra received multiple accolades during her time at Wake Forest. She was named to the all-conference team every year of her collegiate career as well as earning ACC Freshman of the Year in 2022.

This past May, she was one of 10 collegiate golfers named as an ANNIKA award finalist, an award given annually to the top female US collegiate golfer. Chacarra also competed for her fifth and final time at the Augusta National Women's Amateur, where she earned a ninth-place finish.

This upcoming summer, the Madrid, Spain native will make her second appearance for Team International at the 2025 Arnold Palmer Cup on June 5-7 at Congaree Golf Club.

Previous Winners

Carolina Lopez-Chacarra, 2025, Wake Forest

Ingrid Lindblad, 2024, LSU

Jenny Bae, 2023, Georgia

Natasha Andrea Oon, 2023, San Jose State

Jaravee Boonchant, 2021, Duke

Natalie Srinivasan, 2020, Furman

About the Inkster Award presented by Workday

The Inkster Award presented by Workday shines a light on an NCAA Division I senior who commits a full college career to her team in a climate where leaving school early to turn professional has become more enticing for the game's top college players. Workday, a presenting sponsor, is proud to support the next generation of women athletes going above and beyond in their sport and communities. The award is administered by the Women's Golf Coaches Association and managed by Outlyr, a global sports marketing and event management company.

Wake Forest Athletics

Wake Forest Women’s Golf Carolina Chacarra Announced as 2025 Juli Inkster Award Recipient

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