⛳ Jayhawks Post Record-Breaking Round, Finish Second at Dick McGuire Invitational

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – The Kansas Women’s Golf team wrapped up play at the Branch Law Firm/UNM Dick McGuire Invitational at UNM Championship Course on Tuesday, breaking the school record for lowest 18-hole score in the final round shooting a 14-under 274. 

“Really proud of the way the entire team stepped up and competed today,” Kuhle said. “We started off well and finished strong. We’ve got a talented group and I’m excited to see what we can do this year. Incredible tournament and finish from the team this week breaking the school record by five strokes.”  

Kansas’ new record eclipses the previous record of 279 (-9) set at the Wisconsin Westbrook Invitational last season. The Jayhawks posted a tournament score of 302-284-274-860 (-4) after a historic final round, vaulted by a 67 (-5) from junior Jordan Rothman and a 4-under 68 from Incarnate Word transfer Lily Hirst. 

Kansas improved six spots to finish second in the talented 16-team field. The Jayhawks (-4) finished the tournament behind Pepperdine (-14), who earned a No. 15 ranking on Golfweek’s 2023-24 preseason list. Also mentioned on the preseason tab, No. 12 Arizona State finished in third at three-over. 

“What a day and what a round,” said head coach Lindsay Kuhle. “We had four players today playing great golf and playing aggressively which was fun to see.” 

Rothman led the way for the Jayhawks, finishing tied for 10th at two-under with a 54-hole score of 214, posting a bogey-free 67 (-5) in the final round. Rothman’s 67 marks the second of her career and is also tied for the fourth-lowest 18-hole score by an individual in Kansas history. 

Junior Lauren Clark tied for 14th after a consistent tournament to open her junior campaign. Clark fired rounds of 74-71-70-215 to finish at one-under par, notching four birdies in the final round and helping the Jayhawks to their second-place surge. 

Hirst, a Huddersfield, United Kingdom native, made her Kansas debut on Monday, shooting rounds of 77 and 72 before firing off a 4-under 68 to close out the event. Hirst posted five birdies for the final round, finishing tied for 17th. 

Lyla Louderbaugh, freshman from Buffalo, Missouri, joined Hirst with a 17th-place finish after firing a three-under 69 on Tuesday. Louderbaugh posted two rounds in the 60’s in her first tournament as a collegiate golfer, highlighted by a second round 67 (-5) that set a new Kansas freshman 18-hole scoring record. 

Junior Johanna Ebner competed as an individual for Kansas, finishing T59 after posting a 227 (+11) tournament. Ebner had a solid 36 holes to close out the event, posting consecutive rounds of 73 to jump 12 spots on the leaderboard. 

Sophomore Katie Ruge posted rounds of 78-75-82 and finished T85 at 19-over for Kansas.  

“This team is driven and they showed that today,” added Kuhle. “Incredible round again by Jordan today and Lily stepped up in a big way too. We hit a lot of greens and had great execution today as well as great speed with our putting which helped us gain some confidence to hole birdie putts.” 

UP NEXT 
The Jayhawks will travel to Monterey, California to compete at The Molly Invitational, hosted by Cal at Bayonet Golf Course on Sept. 25-26.