The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge
No. 10/12 Women’s Golf places fifth at Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge
03.15.2022 | Women's Golf
Senior Sara Kouskova shoots a three-under-par 68 in the final round to finish tied for 10th in the individual standings.
PALOS VERDES ESTATES, Calif. — The No. 10/12 Texas Women's Golf team scored a two-over-par 286 on Tuesday to finish in fifth place at the Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge at the Palos Verdes Golf Club. The Longhorns registered a 54-hole total of 21-over-par 873 (297-290-286). The round of 286 marks the fourth-best 18-hole team round by the Longhorns on the season and the third-best team score on the day, which was good enough to move the Longhorns up three spots from Monday in the final standings.
Senior Sara Kouskova led the way for the Longhorns, finishing tied for 10th in the individual standings at three-over-par 216 (74-74-68). Her three-under-par 68 on Tuesday was tied for the second-best effort in the field on the final day and moved her up 28 spots in the individual standings. It was her second-straight top-10 finish and third top-10 finish of the season. She has finished among the top-20 in six of the seven tournaments she's played in 2021-22.
Kouskova started out her round going 13 straight holes before registering a bogey, highlighted by a stretch of birdies on holes 12, 14 and 15. After recording the only bogey of her round on hole three, Kouskova finished out her tournament by posting a birdie on her last hole (hole 7). The final round score of 68 gives Kouskova a total of five rounds in the 60s on the season and ties for her third best 18-hole score on the year. It also was the lowest 18-hole round by a Longhorn at the tourney.
"Proud of the team's effort this week, particularly today," Texas head coach Ryan Murphy said. "Sara's 68 was what you want out of your team leader and I am super proud of her to hang in there through this tournament."
Sophomore Bentley Cotton also finished in the top-20, firing a two-over-par 73 in the final round to finish in a tie for 18th at five-over-par 218 (74-71-73). Cotton was two-under-par through the first 12 holes of her final round before registering a bogey. Freshman Bohyun Park, who has played in just seven collegiate tournaments at this point, posted her fifth top-25 finish on the season. Park's one-over-par 72 in the final round closed out a 23rd-place finish at six-over-par 219 (75-72-72).
For the second day in a row, the Longhorns dominated the back nine. As a team, Texas shot four-under-par on holes 10-through-18 during the final round, with four out of the five Longhorns shooting even-par or better on the back nine, including Kouskova, Cotton, junior Sophie Guo, and graduate Brigitte Thibault.
"We play a schedule from the east coast to the west coast for experience. This tournament was played on a golf course with kikuyu fairways and poa annua greens and lots of wind coming off the ocean," Murphy continued. "That's a first for us this season. All of these different types of golf course designs grasses, temperatures, etc. are intended to help develop our players. It's not always easy going through these experiences, but this team is moving along just fine and will be fully prepared come April and May."
In addition to the Longhorns (No. 12 in the first Mizuno WGCA Coaches Poll of the spring season, released on Feb. 25), the 16-team Northrop Grumman Regional Challenge field includes: No. 3 Oregon, No. 4 Wake Forest, No. 6 Virginia, No. 11 Arizona State, No. 14 USC, No. 17 Auburn, No. 20 Baylor, No. 21 Duke, No. 22 Arizona, Cal, Georgetown, Kent State, host Ohio State, Pepperdine and Vanderbilt. Ten of the 16 teams participating are currently ranked among the nation's top-25.
No. 3 Oregon captured the team title with a 54-hole score of four-under-par 848 (287-279-282), while No. 4 Wake Forest finished second at three-over-par 855 (292-280-283). No. 6 Virginia placed third at 12-over-par 864 (287-280-297) and No. 11 Arizona State took fourth just one-stroke back at 13-over-par 865 (291-284-290).
Wake Forest's Rachel Kuehn retained the lead all the way through, winning individual medalist honors with a 54-hole total of 10-under-par 203 (67-67-69). Virginia's Beth Lillie placed second, five strokes behind Kuehn at five-under-par 208 (71-69-68), while Alexandra-Forsterling of Arizona State finished third at four-under-par 209 (75-67-67).
The Longhorns return to action at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic on March 25-27 in Athens, Ga.
The Lineup
- Senior Sara Kouskova scored a three-under-par 68 during the final day to finish tied for 10th at three-over-par 216 (74-74-68). Kouskova registered four birdies (No. 12, par-4; No. 14, par-4; No. 15, par-3; No. 7, par-5) during the final round (started round on hole 8).
- Sophomore Bentley Cotton carded a two-over-par 73 in the last round to finish tied for 18th at five-over-par 218 (74-71-73). Cotton registered two birdies (No. 10, par-4; No. 16, par-5) on the day (started round on hole 6).
- Freshman Bohyun Park tallied a one-over-par 72 on Tuesday to finish tied for 23rd in the individual standings at six-over-par 219 (75-72-72). Park posted two birdies (No. 7, par-5; No. 4, par-3) on the day (started round on hole 7).
- Junior Sophie Guo fired a three-over-par 74 to finish tied for 30th at eight-over-par 221 (74-73-74). Guo recorded two birdies (No. 12, par-4; No. 16, par-5) during the final round (started round on hole 8).
- Graduate Brigitte Thibault shot a two-over-par 73 to finish tied for 65th at 16-over-par 229 (79-77-73). Thibault registered three birdies (No. 12, par-4; No. 16, par-5; No. 18 par-4) on the day (started round on hole 9).
Players Mentioned
