Milligan shoots school record 62 for Sooners
NORMAN — Oklahoma freshman Kaitlin Milligan opened the spring season by shooting the lowest round in program history on Sunday. Milligan fired a 62 (-10) in the first round of the Westbrook Invitational, played at the par-72, 6,252-yard Westbrook Village Golf Club in Peoria, Ariz. As a team, No. 19 Oklahoma sits in second place with a two-round score of 558 (-18) and one round remaining in the tournament.
Milligan’s opening round is the lowest 18-hole score in program history (previous low was 65), the best in Big 12 history and the lowest in NCAA Division I women’s golf this season. Only two collegiate golfers have ever shot lower in an NCAA event (both shot 61). Westbrook Village Golf Club officials confirmed her performance is a course record.
Milligan birdied 10 holes, including five of her final seven, and was bogey-free in the round.
“I was very relaxed throughout the day and felt effortless,” said Milligan. “I didn’t even know what I shot but a lot of people kept congratulating me during the second round.”
A local product from Norman North High School, Milligan strung together another six birdies in the afternoon round to shoot a 68 (-4). Her two-round score of 130 (-14) gives her a one stroke lead over Nebraska’s Kate Smith heading into the final round.
As a team, the Sooners’ two-round total (558) is the second-lowest in program history and puts them two strokes out of first place. Nebraska leads the event with a 556 (-20).
Kaitlin Milligan player profile
“We played some great golf today,” said OU head coach Veronique Drouin-Luttrell. “We had a week of rough weather in Norman that made it tough to get much practice in leading up to this event. Sometimes a little adversity is needed and I’m proud of how the team responded.”
Milligan is joined in the top-20 of the individual standings by seniors Ana Ruiz and Hannah Wood. The senior duo both shot under par in each round as Ruiz is tied for 12th with a 141 (-3) and Wood sits in a tie for 18th with a 142 (-2).
Senior Rylee Pedigo put together a 36-hole score of 148 (+4) and junior Karen Arimoto collected a 150 (+6).
All five Sooners will tee off for the final round at 10:35 a.m. CT on Monday with a shotgun start on the front nine. Live scoring will be available on BirdieFire.com.