Cooper leads Texas to top of Allstate Sugar Bowl leaderboard

After one round at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate, Texas leads a field packed with the top teams in women’s college golf. The Longhorns, No. 3 in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings, are 3 under after 18 holes at English Turn Golf Club in New Orleans.

Duke, a team that won its last two starts in the fall season, is close on Texas’ heels at 2 under. Behind those teams, USC is 1 over. The leaderboard begins to spread out slightly behind that.

Texas freshman Hailee Cooper led the charge with a 3-under 69 that included two birdies in her first three holes and three consecutive birdies after the turn. Her six total birdies tied the most among any other player in the field. Cooper is currently in a tie for second place individually, and her sub-70 round marks her fourth score in the 60s this season.

Senior Maddie Luitweiler added a 2-under 70. As a team, Texas led the field in par-4 scoring.

While USC finished the day at 1 over, it got as low as 3 under at one point in the round. Sophomore Amelia Garvey had the best Trojan round thanks to a back nine that included five birdies. At 69, she is tied for second with Cooper and North Carolina State’s Monika Hartle.

Duke’s Ana Belac leads the individual race with a bogey-free 4-under 68.