Sooners romp to 17-shot win in Big 12 Women’s Golf Championship
The 13th-ranked University of Oklahoma women’s golf team won the 2014 Big 12 Championship on Sunday, firing a final-round 278 (-10) to win the nine-team event by 17 shots at the par-72 University of Texas Golf Club in Austin, Texas.
The Sooners’ three-round 861 (-3) shattered the previous Big 12 Championship record of 872 (+8) set by Texas in 2011. The conference title is the sixth in program history, OU’s third in the 18-year history of the Big 12 and its second in the last three years.
OU led the tournament from start to finish and got stellar contributions from all five of its players. Each finished in the top 12 of the 44-person field.
OU senior Chirapat Jao-Javanil secured the individual Big 12 title by recording a three-day 209 (-7). Jao-Javanil, who finished second in the event in 2012, recorded seven birdies on Sunday en route to a 4-under 68 and a two-shot win over Texas’ Natalie Karcher and Kansas’ Yupaporn Kawinpakorn.
Jao-Javanil’s victory marked the sixth of her career, breaking a school record. She became OU’s fifth individual conference champion and second since the formation of the Big 12 (Kendall Dye was a co-champion in 2009). Her three-round 209 fell one stroke shy of the Big 12 Championship record set by Texas’ Madison Pressell in 2011.
"It was fun," Jao-Javanil said. "I came close two years ago and I learned from that to stay patient, stay confident and let things happen. I felt like I didn’t make any mistakes mentally and I kept scoring when I needed to."
Senior Kaitlyn Rohrback and freshman Alexandra Kaui tied for sixth place, each carding a 217 (+1). Kaui saved her best round for last, firing a 68 (-4) on the day and playing all but one hole at par or better. She holed out for eagle on the par-5 ninth hole, draining a 71-yard approach shot with her 54-degree wedge. Rohrback shot a day-three 73 (+1) and played 16 par-or-better holes. It was her best finish of the season.
Sooner Emily Collins finished in eighth place, recording a 219 (+3). The senior registered three birdies against just one bogey for a final-round 70.
OU’s Anne-Catherine Tanguay turned in her best round of the tournament on Sunday, logging an even-par 72 for a three-day 222 (+6). The senior tied for 12th place.
Jao-Javanil, Kaui, Rohrback and Collins each made the Big 12’s all-tournament team by virtue of their top-10 finishes.
Fifth-year Sooner head coach Veronique Drouin-Luttrell said she was thrilled with the team’s performance.
"We played so solid today to finish the final round," Drouin-Luttrell said. "This was just so much fun and it solidifies everything that they’ve done and worked for. I’m really proud of everything we’ve accomplished together. We can’t wait to see where we go for (NCAA) regionals and to continue to chase our goals."
Oklahoma will participate in NCAA Regional play May 8-10. The Sooners will learn where they’ll be sent (Stillwater, Okla., Tallahassee, Fla., or Cle Elum, Wash.) on Monday. The NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships selections will be announced live via the Golf Channel during "Golf Central," which will air from 5 to 6 p.m. CT. The show will also be streamed live on the Golf Channel website and posted afterward on the NCAA website (www.ncaa.com).
1 Oklahoma 291 292 278 861
1 Chirapat Jao-Javanil (3) 69 72 68 209
T6 Alexandra Kaui (2) 75 74 68 217
T6 Kaitlyn Rohrback (5) 73 71 73 217
8 Emily Collins (4) 74 75 70 219
T12 Anne Tanguay (1) 75 75 72 222
2 Texas 297 289 292 878
T2 Natalie Karcher (2) 71 69 71 211
T15 Bertine Strauss (1) 79 73 71 223
T15 Julia Beck (3) 75 74 74 223
T19 Lara Weinstein (5) 75 73 76 224
T26 Tezira Abe (4) 76 75 76 227
3 Baylor 297 299 288 884
T4 Laura Lonardi (2) 70 74 72 216
T12 Hayley Davis (1) 74 78 70 222
T21 Hadas Libman (3) 77 77 71 225
T33 Louise Gateau-Chovelon (4) 78 75 75 228
T36 Natalia Perez (5) 76 73 82 231
T4 Iowa State 302 293 291 886
T4 Chonlada Chayanun (3) 73 72 71 216
T9 Sasikarn On-Iam (4) 75 73 72 220
T21 Cajsa Persson (1) 77 72 76 225
T21 Prima Thammaraks (2) 77 76 72 225
38 Carmen Vidau (5) 77 76 82 235
T4 Kansas 297 295 294 886
T2 Yupaporn Kawinpakorn (1) 69 73 69 211
T26 Minami Levonowich (3) 76 75 76 227
T26 Pornvipa Sakdee (5) 76 72 79 227
T33 Thanuttra Boonraksasat (2) 82 75 71 228
35 Meghan Potee (4) 76 76 78 230
6 Texas Tech 295 306 300 901
11 Stephanie Bertelsen (3) 70 76 75 221
T15 Hannah Arnold (4) 75 74 74 223
T24 Kimmy Hill (2) 78 75 73 226
T36 Elin Arvidsson (1) 72 81 78 231
42 Victoria Uresti (5) 86 81 78 245
7 Oklahoma State 298 308 300 906
T9 Amy Ruengmateekhun (4) 70 75 75 220
T15 Julie Yang (1) 75 74 74 223
T24 Lauren Falley (2) 72 80 74 226
39 Isabella Deilert (3) 81 79 77 237
8 Kansas State 293 311 312 916
T19 Gianna Misenhelter (2) 70 76 78 224
T26 Olivia Eliasson (1) 72 77 78 227
T26 Carly Ragains (3) 72 77 78 227
40 Madison Talley (5) 79 81 78 238
44 Katherine G. Coursol (4) 80 0 86 166
9 TCU 310 306 301 917
T12 Sanna Nuutinen (1) 78 71 73 222
T26 April McCoy (3) 77 76 74 227
T26 Maria Maymon (4) 76 76 75 227
41 Kortnie Maxoutopoulis (2) 79 83 80 242
43 Chaney Uhles (5) 81 86 79 246
