Kansas Women’s Golf Season Concludes
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SHOAL CREEK, Ala. – The 2015-16 Kansas women’s golf season ended at the NCAA Regional Saturday at Shoal Creek, Alabama where senior Yupaporn Kawinpakorn and junior Pornvipa Sakdee missed qualifying for a trip to the NCAA Championships.
Playing at the 6,470-yard, par-72 Shoal Creek Country Club, Kawinpakorn and Sakdee carded 233 (+17) and 228 (+12), respectively. Kawinpakorn tied for 43rd and Sakdee extended her streak of consecutive streak of top-20 finishes to three by tying for 15th. Sakdee’s streak tied the longest such streak of her career, set during the 2014-15 season.
“Faii has had a solid showing this week. She improved her score each day and was able to make a steady climb up the leaderboard,” KU head coach Erin O’Neil said. “The lessons she learned will be invaluable as she moves into her senior year and will help her be a strong leader for us.”
Sakdee finished eight strokes behind co-champions Matilda Castren of Florida State, Marianne Li of California and Janet Mao of Northwestern and three strokes back of the last individual qualifier for the NCAA Championship, August Kim of Purdue. Tied for 55th after the first round, Sakdee climbed 40 spots over the final two rounds by improving her score every day, ending with a 74 (+2) in the final round, among the top scores in the field.
For Kawinpakorn, her 54th hole at Shoal Creek signaled the end of one of the best careers in Kansas women’s golf history. A four-time All-Big 12 Tournament Team and three-time Academic All-Big 12 First Team selection, Kawinpakorn set school records for most career top-five and top-10 finishes, lowest season stroke average and lowest 18 and 54-hole scores, often setting the record several times throughout her career. Additionally, she competed on the teams that set records for lowest 18 and 54-hole team scores. Kawinpakorn’s success led to three-straight trips to an NCAA Regional, the first Jayhawk to do so.
“It’s hard to believe Mook’s time at KU is drawing to a close. She’s been a first class representative of our program and of KU Athletics since she sat foot on campus and we are very proud of all she has accomplished both on and off the golf course,” said O’Neil. “She pushes all of us to be the best we can be and is an exceptional example of what a true champion is. We will miss her beyond words and wish her well on her journey into the professional ranks.”
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