WICHITA, Kan. ā Led by individual medalist
Satonkan (Earn) Thiengsri, No. 24 Oklahoma women's golf matched program history Tuesday, capturing the OU Intercollegiate presented by PDI at Wichita Country Club for its third tournament victory of the season.
The Sooners finished at 13-under at Wichita Country Club, overcoming a slow start with a tournament-low second round before holding off Missouri to win by two strokes. Oklahoma has now won three of its four tournaments to open the fall season, with a runner-up finish in its lone event without a victory as it boasts an SEC-best 37-1 record. The three tournament wins mark the best start to a season in program history and tie the 2012-13, 2011-12, 2007-08, 2003-04, 1985-86 and 1980-81 teams for the most wins in a single season in program history.
"Our team showed a lot of fight, and I'm so proud of their response and their ability to find ways to win," 18th-year head coach
Veronique Drouin-Luttrell said. "To be where we were after the first round, battle back and then hold off some really good teams down the stretch is something we should be proud of. This team is really special, and I'm so glad to see their hard work paying off in a big way."
Oklahoma (1, -13) opened with a 6-over 290 to sit tied for seventh after 18 holes, but the Sooners responded with a tournament-best 13-under 271 in the second round. The round was 10 shots better than any other team in the field and vaulted Oklahoma into first place entering Tuesday's final round.
The Sooners extended their lead to six shots early in the final round before Missouri mounted a charge. Oklahoma answered down the stretch, with late birdies from Thiengsri and Wichita native
Meg Tilma helping secure the two-shot victory.
Thiengsri (1, -8) claimed her first career individual title, carding rounds of 72-66-67 to finish at 8-under and win by one stroke. The sophomore continued her strong stretch of play after going 3-0 at last week's NB3 Matchplay and finishing runner-up at the Schooner Fall Classic.
After opening with a 1-over 72, Thiengsri was nearly flawless over the final 36 holes, recording just one bogey while making 10 birdies. She becomes the 47th individual medalist in program history and the second Sooner to win this season, joining teammate
Meg Tilma, who captured The Bruzzy title. Thiengsri, who finished as the runner-up at the Schooner Fall Classic and went 3-0 at NB3 Matchplay, has pieced together the best stretch of her career.Ā
Nancy Cox (T3, -5) matched her best career finish by tying for third at 5-under after rounds of 71-66-71. The senior's performance marked her best finish of the season.
Anna Kate Nichols (T11, E) also earned a top-15 finish, posting rounds of 75-67-71 to tie for 11th. Freshman Valentina Guertin matched Nichols at even-par while competing unattached from the lineup, recording the best finish of her young career.
Also competing unattached,
MaKayla Troutman (+6) finished 34th,
Ellison Lundquist (+7) tied for 38th and
Ryan Donaldson (+12) tied for 52nd.
In the Oklahoma lineup,
Audrey Rischer (T24, +3) and Tilma (T29, +5) rounded out the Sooners' scoring effort.
The victory marked Oklahoma's 16th tournament title under head coach
Veronique Drouin-Luttrell and the 55th in program history. It was also the Sooners' ninth team-and-individual title sweep under Drouin-Luttrell and their second of the season.
Oklahoma will look to close its historic fall campaign with a program-record fourth victory when it tees off at The Fin, Oct. 19-21, at Freestone Country Club in Freestone, Texas.