NORMAN –
Savannah Barber delivered a steady performance, finishing even through 18 holes in Carlsbad, Calif. as Oklahoma sits in 25th place after the opening round of the NCAA Championships.
With two rounds remaining before the cut, the Sooners (25, +14) aim to climb into the top 15 by the end of Sunday's round to advance to the final round of stroke play.
Barber (T27, E) opened strong with a birdie on the second hole and bounced back from a bogey on the fifth with another birdie on the sixth. She stayed 1-under for four holes before firing her final birdie of the round on the 11th hole, bringing her to 2-under. Barber finished the round with bogeys on the 13th and 17th holes and otherwise even-par holes to return to an even round score.
Two other Sooners finished the day inside the top 100. Junior
MaKayla Tyrrell (T78, +3) sits in 78th while senior
Reagan Chaney (T98, +4) is tied for 98th.
Freshman
Audrey Rischer (T137, +7) and junior
Gracie Mayo (T144, +8) round out the lineup for OU, tying for 137th and 144th.
The Sooners will tee off Saturday afternoon beginning at 3:07 p.m. CT for round two of play in the NCAA Championships.