⛳ Jayhawks Conclude Big 12 Championship on an Uptick
HOCKLEY, Texas – Kansas women’s golf posted a solid third round and moved up the leaderboard in the final round of the 2022 Big 12 Championship at The Clubs at Houston Oaks Sunday.
In a field that consists of six teams ranked in the top 40 nationally, shot a 297 (+13) Sunday which was eight shots better than either of its first two rounds. The Jayhawks finished seventh in the event, 10 shots ahead of 22nd-ranked Texas Tech and two behind sixth-pace Oklahoma. It marked KU’s second time this season the Jayhawks finished ahead of a top-25 team. KU finished in front of then-No. 23 Virginia Tech at the Clemson Invitational March 25-27.
Historically, under first-year head coach Lindsay Kuhle, Kansas’ seventh-place finish tied its second-best outcome for a KU team since 2014, when the Jayhawks tied for fourth at the Big 12 Championship. Since then, KU also finished seventh at the conference championship in 2016, 2017 and 2019.
Kansas senior Pear Pooratanaopa shot an even-par 71 in her final round, shooting 3-under on the back nine. Pooratanaopa ended the event tied for 19th with a three-round 225 (+12). Super-senior Sera Tadokoro was KU’s top finisher tying for 15th with a three-round 224 (+11), one shot better than Pooratanaopa. Tadokoro’s best round was the opening day where she shot even par.
Senior Lauren Heinlein shot a 5-over 76 Sunday and finished 28th overall with a 228. Fellow senior Abby Glynn was two shots behind Heinlein at 230. KU used two players at the No. 5 spot with freshman Johanna Ebner playing Friday and fellow freshman Jordan Rothman the next two rounds. Rothman carded a 3-over 74 in Sunday’s final round, which was the second-lowest score for the KU squad. Rothman was 2-under on the front nine Sunday morning with two birdies.
“We did have the lowest round of the tournament for us and that is a goal for us every tournament – to improve every round,” Kuhle said. “Our great players today were Pear and Jordan. Jordan really stepped up for us in the five spot with a 74 and Pear shot a 71. Pear was 3-under on the back nine and Jordan was 2-under on the front nine.
“I really believe it was a total team effort,” Kuhle added. “From our number one player to our five player, everyone contributed. The team energy and the team chemistry were really great this tournament and has been all spring.”
Texas won the 2022 Big 12 Championship with a three-round 876 (+24), three shots ahead of co-runners-up Oklahoma State and Baylor at 879 (+27). Individually, Oklahoma State Lianna Bailey took medalist honors with a three-round 215 (+2). She one shot ahead Baylor’s Addie Baggarly (216).
