After finishing in third place at the Trinity Forest Invitational earlier this month, the Texas women’s golf team continued its chase for their fourth Big 12 Championship at the ICON Invitational at the Golf Club of Houston in Humble, Texas, on Monday and Tuesday.
While the Longhorns have struggled on the course this season, they welcomed back two veteran members for the ICON Invitational. Junior Sara Kouskova and senior Agathe Laisne, who are both from Europe, were unable to join the team in the fall due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact of their return was immediately felt in both the Trinity Forest Invitational and the ICON Invitational.
After sitting in eighth place after the first 18 holes Monday, the Longhorns stumbled in the later rounds. Texas finished in 10th place with a 10-over 874 score and behind Big 12 rivals Baylor, who finished in first place with a 24-under par 840, Oklahoma State, TCU and Texas Tech.
Using the same roster as the Trinity Forest Invitational, the Longhorns were represented by Kouskova, Laisne, sophomore Sophie Guo, junior Hailee Cooper and freshman Bentley Cotton in the team event.
Guo and Kouskova were the top two scorers on the team. Guo tied for 19th place overall for an even-par score of 216. The sophomore scored a 2-under 70 to start off Tuesday's rounds and was able to even par, firing her into the top 20.
Kouskova tied for 26th place with a one over par. Her best round came on Monday during the second round, where she shot and 2-under 70. Laisne was able to tie for 36th place while Cooper tied for 51st place and Cotton tied for 70th place.
However, the highest finish of the event came from freshman Ashley Park.
Park, competing as an individual, opene’d up Tuesday’s round starting in a five-way tie for 19th place. Park opened the event with a 76 in the first round and 4-under 68 in the second round.
On Tuesday, Park opened the round with a 1-under 71 and was able to move up the rankings. She shot a 1-under par where she would tie for 16th place.
In the chase for their fourth Big 12 title in April, Texas will have a week off to prepare for their next competition.
The Longhorns will be back on the course March 8-9 for the Wildcat Invitational in Tucson, Arizona, at the Sewailo Golf Course. The Wildcat Invitational will be hosted by The University of Arizona and will feature teams across the country. The event will be closed to the public.
