OU freshman Winans ties for Clover Cup title
Oklahoma freshman Libby Winans bounced back from a first-round score of 74 (+2) to tie for first place in the Clover Cup. The Sooner rookie fired a 68 (-4) on Sunday to claim her first tournament title with a three-day score of 2-under 214 at the par-72, 6,184-yard Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, Ariz.
Winans’ performance marks the third straight year a Sooner has won the individual title at the Clover Cup. Senior Julienne Soo won the event in both 2017 and 2018.
As a team, the Sooners took fourth place with a total of 895 (+31), three strokes behind second-place Houston (892; +28). Southern California won the event with an 876 (+12).
“I’m proud of how Libby played this week,” said OU head coach Veronique Drouin-Luttrell. “Her hard work paid off. As a team, we unfortunately finished rough today and still have a lot to work on. We’re excited to get back to work and prepare for the ASU Invitational at the end of the month.”
After shooting 2-over on Friday, Winans produced an even-par round of 72 on Saturday. The freshman carded five birdies on Sunday to fight back and claim the top position. She tied for first alongside Leonie Bettel (Kentucky), Leonie Harm (Houston) and Jennifer Chang (USC).
“Today, I just focused on being positive no matter what and only on what I was doing, not my opponents,” said Winans. “I knew I’d come out learning something today no matter the outcome. Earlier this year I wrote down ‘winning a collegiate tournament as a freshman’ as one of my goals for 2019 and I’m excited to mark that off my list.”
Battling tough conditions all weekend, the four first-place finishers were the only golfers in the field of 90 to finish the tournament under par.
Joining Winans in the top-20 was fellow underclassmen Kaitlin Milligan, tying for 20th place with a 226 (+10).
Sophomore Hannah Lee claimed 30th (229), senior Julienne Soo finished in 35th (230) and freshman Mikhaela Fortuna ended in 45th (232).
Senior Karen Arimoto, competing as an individual, clinched 25th with a 227.
Oklahoma is back in the Phoenix area when it competes at the ASU Ping Invitational beginning March 29.