Courtesy of Texas Athletics
Texas picked the right time to win its first tournament of the season as the Longhorns captured the Big 12 Conference Championship on Sunday at Houston Oaks in Hockley, Texas.
Coming off a strong second round on Saturday, the Longhorns built a nine-stroke advantage over No. 5 Oklahoma and were 11 strokes clear of No. 16 Baylor when play began on Sunday. Texas bent but didn't break on Sunday and survived a 14-over final round of 298 to secure the program’s 17th overall conference title.
Texas finished 24-over par as a team on the 6,224 yards, par-71 course at The Clubs at Houston Oaks, three strokes better than Oklahoma State and Baylor which finished at 27-over 879.
"Getting this championship is nice, obviously, but I'm also hopeful that this is a turning point, a spark that this team needs," said Texas head coach Ryan Murphy added. "We are a great team and capable of some special things this postseason."
Lianna Bailey of Oklahoma State Freshman Bohyun Park (t-3rd; 217) and senior Sara Kouskova (6th; 218) finished in the top-10 while sophomore Bentley Cotton tied for 11th at 9-over-par 222 (74-71-77). Park and Kouskova both earned Big 12 All-Tournament Team honors.
"I'm proud of this team. This was a long time coming and they deserve it," said Murphy. "They have worked hard through the season and maintained their focus to be ready for this championship. It was truly a team effort with contributions from each player, and we needed every bit of it."
Oklahoma State’s Lianna Bailey posted a 54-hole total of 215 (+2) to earn the Big 12 Conference individual title. Bailey was tied for third after the opening round but a second-round 68 gave the senior a four-stroke lead over Texas' Bohyun Park heading into Sunday's final round.
With Park carding a final round 75, Bailey withstood a final round 77 to become the first Oklahoma State player to win the conference's individual title since Kenzie Neisen in 2016. It was Bailey's third individual title of her collegiate career and her first of the season.
Addie Baggarly of Baylor finished second at 3-over-par 216 (69-77-70) while three players finished tied for third, including Park who was just two strokes back of the winner at four-over-par 217.
Texas Athletic Communications contributed to this report.
ABOUT THE Big 12 Women's Championship
54-hole women's championship of the Big 12
Conference. Team (best four scores out of five
players
each round) and individual competitions.
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