Kansas Sweeps Big 12 Golfer of the Month
LAWRENCE, Kan. – A fantastic month for the Kansas men’s and women’s golf teams was capped off by a pair of Big 12 Golfer of the Month titles for the month of September the conference office announced Wednesday.
KU seniors Ben Welle and Yupaporn “Mook” Kawinpakorn were both honored with their second career Big 12 Golfer of the Month selections after each captured an individual title during September. This is the first time Kansas has won both the Big 12 Men’s and Women’s Golfer of the Month in the same month.
Welle received his second Big 12 Golfer of the Month after recording two top-20 finishes, including a win at the Ram Masters Invitational. He tied for 15th at the Badger Invitational, contributing to a KU team title. The Moorhead, Minnesota native averaged 71.33 strokes per round in September, an improvement on his 72.6 average for the 2014-15 season. Welle’s first Big 12 Golfer of the Month honor came in November of 2014. He holds two of the five Big 12 Golfer of the Month honors in Kansas men’s golf history.
“This is a great honor and I am extremely grateful, but the team and I still have a lot of work to do in order to achieve our goals this season,” Welle said.
Kawinpakorn, also receiving her second Big 12 Golfer of the Month, placed in the top-10 three times in September and once in October, continuing a streak of seven straight top-10 finishes from the previous season. The Samutprakan, Thailand native earned her second career tournament victory at the Schooner Classic and set a school and Schooner Classic 18-hole record after shooting a 63 (-8) in the first round. The victory also gave Kawinpakorn the Kansas record for career top-10 finishes at 22. Already owning KU’s record for season stroke average, she is on pace for a career-best 71.5 strokes per round for the 2015-16 season. Kawinpakorn was previously named Big 12 Golfer of the Month in October 2014.
“I feel honored that I received this award again. Nothing feels better than when people around you recognize your hard work and determination of becoming the best,” Kawinpakorn said. “I’ll take this recognition as inspiration to continue working hard.”
Up next for Welle is the Bayou City Collegiate Championship on October 12-13. Kawinpakorn’s next competition is the Palmetto Intercollegiate on October 25-27.
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