The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Big 12 Championship
Women's Golf claims Big 12 Championship crown
04.24.2011 | Women's Golf
April 24, 2011
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The University of Texas Women's Golf team (296-287-289=872, +8) claimed its third Big 12 Championship on Sunday afternoon with a final-round score of 1-over-par 289. Sophomore Madison Pressel (71-66-71) became just the second individual champion in school history with a Big 12 Championship record-setting score of 8-under 208.
Fueled by a pair of eagles within minutes of each other from Pressel and junior Nicole Vandermade on the 14th and 17th holes, respectively, the Longhorns forged ahead of second-place Texas A&M for a three-stroke victory.
The win marks the first at Texas under fourth-year head coach Martha Richards and is UT's first tournament victory since the 2004 Big 12 Championship. UT previously claimed the Big 12 Championship crown in 1997 in addition to 2004. Pressel joins 1997 Big 12 Championship medalist Heather Bowie as the only Texas players to accomplish the feat.
Pressel won her first collegiate event in wire-to-wire fashion with three-straight subpar rounds at The Club at Old Hawthorne, including a tournament-record 66 (-6) on Saturday afternoon. She holed out for eagle with a gap wedge from 110 yards on the 14th hole for her third eagle in as many days. Pressel was additionally named to the All-Tournament Team.
Vandermade (73-77-71) joined Pressel and freshman Rebecca Lee-Bentham to card a final-round 71 and finished tied for 12th place at 5-over 221. Her scorecard included the eagle on the par-4 17 where she drove the green and drained a 20-footer, four birdies and four bogeys.
Lee-Bentham (77-74-71) finished at 6-over 222 and tied for 14th place in her Big 12 Championship debut. Sophomores Haley Stephens (75-73-76=224, +8) and Katelyn Sepmoree (78-74-78=230, +14) tied for 23rd and 43rd places.
Texas will now await Monday's announcement of the NCAA Championship Regional selections at 6 p.m. Central. This year's regional sites include Stetson (Daytona Beach, Fla.), Notre Dame (South Bend, Ind.) and Washington (Auburn, Wash.).
Final team standings
1. TEXAS - 296-287-289=872 (+8)
2. Texas A&M - 298-290-287=875 (+11)
3. Missouri - 297-291-292=880 (+16)
4. Iowa State - 300-285-297=882 (+18)
5. Oklahoma - 298-293-297=888 (+24)
6. Texas Tech - 294-296-299=889 (+25)
7. Oklahoma State - 302-294-295=891 (+27)
8. Baylor - 301-294-305=900 (+36)
9. Colorado - 302-297-304=903 (+39)
10. Nebraska - 297-298-314=909 (+45)
11. Kansas - 302-305-304=911 (+47)
12. Kansas State - 309-303-304=916 (+52)
Final top-10 individuals
1. Madison Pressel, TEXAS - 71-66-71=208 (-8)
T2. Josephine Janson, Oklahoma State - 73-71-69=213 (-3)
T2. Katerina Ruzickova, Texas A&M - 71-72-70=213 (-3)
T4. Victoria Stefansen, Iowa State - 75-72-68=215 (-1)
T4. Jessica Wallace, Colorado - 70-73-72=215 (-1)
T6. Jaclyn Jansen, Baylor - 72-71-73=216 (E)
T6. Sarah Zwartynski, Texas A&M - 76-72-68=216 (E)
8. Deborah DeVilla, Texas Tech - 71-72-74=217 (+1)
9. Taylor Gohn, Missouri - 75-72-71=218 (+2)
10. Chirapat Jao-Javanil, Oklahoma - 71-75-73=219 (+3)
Additional Texas individuals
T12. Nicole Vandermade - 73-77-71=221 (+5)
T14. Rebecca Lee-Bentham - 77-74-71=222 (+6)
T23. Haley Stephens - 75-73-76=224 (+8)
T43. Katelyn Sepmoree - 78-74-78=230 (+14)
POST-CHAMPIONSHIP COMMENTS
Head Coach Martha Richards
On Texas' Big 12 Championship victory: This is awesome. We go out week after week to try and get W's. Golf is a weird game in that you can go out, play great and still finish second. This is special, to win our first tournament here and to endure a different golf course every day due to the elements is a real testament to the character of this team. They dug deep, weren't afraid to roll their sleeves up and get a little bit muddy and dirty, and it paid off.
On the team's goal to win the Big 12 Championship: We've made a big effort since the fall to really be there for each other and to hold each other accountable in addition to being each other's biggest cheerleaders. When you have that kind of support, that's when you have great teams and that's when you set your goals high. Having a championship mindset has and will continue to translate into many great things for this team.
Sophomore Madison Pressel
On Texas' Big 12 Championship victory: We worked really hard all season and we came here to win. Everything has built up to this moment. I knew that if I could go out there and do what got me to this point, then I would be able to help our team in the long run. We weren't leaving Columbia without fighting as hard as we could, and I'm really proud of everyone.
On her eagles: I hadn't made a single eagle all year, so to make three in three days is awesome. Today's was a huge confidence boost and really got my round going.
