The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
NCAA Championship
No. 13 Women’s Golf concludes season at NCAA Championship
05.23.2022 | Women's Golf
Longhorns post a fifth-straight top-15 NCAA Championship showing, while freshman Bohyun Park finishes tied for 17th in individual standings.
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The No. 13 Texas Women's Golf squad shot a one-over-par 289 on Monday to close out the season in 13th-place at the NCAA Championship. The Longhorns registered a 72-hole total of 38-over-par 1190. Freshman Bohyun Park was the low Longhorn for the tournament, tying for 17th at five-over-par 293 (76-68-77-72). It was her seventh top-20 finish of her rookie year, second only to senior Sara Kouskova's eight among the UT team. Junior Sophie Guo shot the low round on Monday for Texas with a one-under-par 71.
Texas' 13th-place showing was the Longhorns fifth-straight top-15 finish at the NCAA Championship. UT earned an NCAA Championship bid for the sixth-straight year in 2021-22, which is tied for the third-longest active streak in the nation. The Horns had advanced to the match play round at the previous two NCAA Championships. And although they made the cut to advance with the final group of 15 that teed off on Monday, came up short of making the final group of eight that will compete in the match play round.
"I'm proud of this team for their effort this week and for their effort all season-long," said head coach Ryan Murphy. "We didn't catch the best draw this week, but the team fought from start to finish. Always a sad moment when it comes to an end sooner than you want, but that's just how it goes sometimes."
The Horns one-over-par 289 team score on Monday was tied for the second-lowest 18-hole team score on the day. Park closed out her freshman campaign with an even-par 72, her 15th round of par or better on the season, while Guo, a junior, posted her ninth round of par or better with a one-under-par 71. Kouskova's collegiate career concluded with a one-over-par 73, which included back-to-back birdies on the final two holes of her round. The senior also went two-under-par on the back nine.
"We will mis our seniors (Sara Kouskova and Brigitte Thibault) very much, but I'm simply grateful to have had both here at Texas," Murphy added. "Sara had four wonderful years with us and Brigitte had one. Both have been outstanding golfers, teammates and friends. Their leadership will certainly be missed. We will need our returners to fill some big voids with their departures."
"I'm also proud of the way Bohyun Park, Bentley Cotton and Sophie Guo fought this week," Murphy continued. All contributed some big rounds for us and Bohyun had an outstanding finish for a true freshman. There are big things ahead for this trio."
The NCAA Championship Lineup
- Freshman Bohyun Park carded an even-par 72 to finish tied for 17th at five-over-par 293 (76-68-77-72). Park tallied one eagle (No. 3, par-4) and one birdie (No. 11, par-5) on the day.
- Sophomore Bentley Cotton shot a one-over-par 73 to finish tied for 52nd at 11-over-par 299 (79-75-72-73). Cotton posted two birdies (No. 8, par-3; No. 10, par-4) on the fourth round.
- Senior Sara Kouskova fired a one-over-par 73 to finish tied for 57th at 13-over-par 301 (77-73-78-73). Kouskova registered four birdies (No. 7, par-5; No. 11, par-5; No. 17, par-4; No. 18, par-5) on Monday.
- Junior Sophie Guo scored a one-under-par 71 to finish tied for 57th at 13-over-par 301 (77-79-74-71). Guo led the team with five birdies (No. 4, par-5; No. 7, par-5; No. 9, par-4; No. 13, par-3; No. 18, par-5) on the day.
- Graduate Brigitte Thibault posted a three-over-par 75 to finish tied for 74th at 22-over-par 310 (75-79-81-75). Thibault recorded three birdies (No. 13, par-3; No. 15, par-4; No. 18, par-5) on fourth round.
Thank you to Longhorn Nation, our teammates, coaches and staff for an incredible season! Big 12 champions for the 4th time in 5 years, 6th-straight NCAA appearance and 5th-straight top-15 finish.#HookEm 🤘 pic.twitter.com/uIPX1ahPSO
— Texas Women's Golf (@TexasWGolf) May 24, 2022
2021-22 Season in Review
The NCAA Championships completed another stellar season for eighth-year Head Coach Ryan Murphy and the Longhorns, who finished in the top five as a team a total of eight times in 2021-22. Texas started to really hit its stride late in the season with three-straight top-three placements leading up to its NCAA Championship appearance. The team tied for third at The Bruzzy in April, won the Big 12 Championship and finished runner-up at the NCAA Albuquerque Regional. The second-place finish in Albuquerque allowed the Longhorns to advance to the NCAA Championship for the sixth-straight time, which is tied for the third-longest streak in the nation, and 30th time overall in program history. The win at the Big 12 Championship was the Longhorns' fourth victory out of their last five appearances at the conference championship. Texas also kept its streak alive of recording at least one team tournament win in each of the last seven seasons, which is the longest string in program history.
Beyond the Big 12 win, the team's best overall performances came at the Stanford Intercollegiate and The Bruzzy. Texas finished tied for sixth at Stanford at six-over-par 858 (303-277-278). That 54-hole team score tied for 21st all-time in the UT record books, while the 18-hole team scores of 277 and 278 tied for 13th and 17th all-time, respectively. The second round of seven-under-par 277 is tied for 21st in program history for an 18-hole team score relative to par. At The Bruzzy, the Longhorns finished tied for third at six-under-par 858 (294-286-278). The 54-hole score of 858 tied their lowest 54-hole total on the season, alongside their performance at Stanford. Their final team round of 10-under-par 278 at the Bruzzy is tied for 13th in program history for an 18-hole team score relative to par and 17th all-time in the record books for overall 18-hole team score.
Bohyun Park concluded her incredible freshman season with a total of 11 tournament appearances which saw her post five rounds in the 60s, as well as lead the team with 15 rounds at par or better. The freshman who earned All-Big 12 Tournament honors had seven top-20 finishes, six top-15's, four top-10's and three top-five's. That includes a runner-up performance at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate in March where she registered a 54-hole score of two-under-par 211 (70-70-71). She shot par or better for every single round in that tournament, joining Kouskova as the only other Longhorn to accomplish such a feat this season. Park posted her lowest round of 68 four separate times on the season. Her first 68 came during the final round at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate, her first ever collegiate tournament. She would go on to post additional 68s at the opening round at the Windy City Collegiate Classic, the final round at the Stanford Intercollegiate and most recently during the second round at the NCAA Championship.
Sara Kouskova closes out her collegiate career with another great season for the Longhorns. She earned Big 12 All-Tournament honors for the second time while finishing 2021-22 with five rounds in the 60s and 12 rounds at par or better. She also had eight finishes in the top-20, seven top-15's, four top-10's and two top-five's. Kouskova tied Cotton for the lowest round of the season for the Longhorns at five-under-par 66. That came during her incredible runner-up performance at the Stanford Intercollegiate where she finished with a 54-hole score of 12-under-par 201 (68-67-66) and was the only Longhorn to shoot in the 60s in every round of the tournament. The 66 is tied for eighth all-time in program history for an individual 18-hole score, while the five-under-par mark for that round is tied for 18th in the record books for an individual 18-hole score relative to par. The senior will also finish her collegiate career with the second lowest individual 54-hole score in UT history at 201. Kouskova's other top-five placement came at the Darius Rucker Intercollegiate where she finished fifth with a 54-hole score of even-par 213 (72-69-72).
Bentley Cotton broke out in her sophomore season with five top-15 finishes, three top-10 finishes and one top-five finish. Her best performance came at The Bruzzy where she finished fourth with a seven-under-par 209 (75-68-66), which is tied for 17th all-time for an individual 54-hole score. Her final round of six-under-par 66 at The Bruzzy is tied for eighth all-time in the UT record books for an individual 18-hole score, while the six-under-par mark is tied for sixth all-time for an individual 18-hole score relative to par. Cotton tied Kouskova with the low round on the season at 66, posted a total of four rounds in the 60s and 10 rounds at par or better.
Sophie Guo played in every tournament for the Longhorns in 2021-22. On the season, Guo tallied two rounds in the 60s and nine rounds at par or better. The junior recorded her lowest round of 69 twice on the season. The first one came during the second round at the Stanford Intercollegiate, while the second came during the opening round at the Lamkin Invitational. Guo's best finish was at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate where she finished tied for 18th and registered a 54-hole score of one-over-par 217 (74-73-70).
Brigitte Thibault appeared in 10 total tournaments for the Longhorns in 2021-22, recording six rounds at par or better. Her highest placement came at The Bruzzy where she posted two rounds at par or better on her way to finishing in a tie for 14th at one-over-par (72-74-71).
Players Mentioned
