Wildcats Tied for Fourth After First Round of Big 12 Championship
Apr 18, 2024 | Women's Golf
HOCKLEY, Texas – Taking on a challenging course that did not yield an under-par round to any of the 13 teams, the Kansas State women's golf team made a charge toward the end of the first 18 holes of the 2024 Big 12 Championship on Thursday, as the Wildcats are tied for fourth place with a score of 8-over par 292 at the par-71, 6,249-yard Houston Oaks Golf Club.
The Wildcats played Nos. 16, 17 and 18 at a collective 2-under par, the only team to go under par on the closing three holes. The round of 292 was the Wildcats' second-best round ever in a conference championship behind the 287 they posted in the first round in 2021.
"The ladies did a nice job today," head coach Stew Burke said. "They stuck to the plan, overcame some wobbles and really battled on the closing holes to make sure we posted a decent number. It was a total team effort, and kudos to Haley (Vargas) on a great round. We need more of the same tomorrow in addition to lots of patience and good acceptance, and I'm looking for a slight improvement in our decision-making."
Kansas State, ranked 55th in the country entering the conference championship, is tied with No. 40 Baylor and No. 49 Iowa State at 8-over par, and the Wildcats are only a shot back of TCU and four strokes behind the second-place team, No. 38 Houston.
K-State was led on Thursday by senior Haley Vargas, who is tied for fourth place with a first-round score of 1-under par 70, the first under-par round in her Big 12 Championship career. After sitting at 1-over par through the first 15 holes, the Lubbock, Texas, product birdied both Nos. 16 and 17 to produce her 10th under-par round of the season. Vargas enters the second round just one shot behind a three-way tie for first place.
Junior Carla Bernat is tied for 17th place following a score of 2-over par 73. It was her first over-par round with the Wildcats since the final 18 holes of the Westbrook Invitational in late February, but the Castellon, Spain, native ended her day with a birdie on No. 18 to give her momentum heading into Friday.
Sophomore Noa van Beek is tied for 25th place with a 3-over par 74, a shot ahead of freshman Alenka Navarro, who is tied for 34th place. Another freshman, Julia Ballester Barrio, carded a 5-over par 76 and is tied for 45th place.
No. 11 Texas holds the first-round lead at 2-over par 286. The Longhorns' Lauren Kim is tied atop the individual leaderboard with Iowa State's Karisa Chul-Ak-Sorn and Liyana Durisic as all three turned in rounds of 2-under par 69.
Kansas State begins the second round of the 2024 Big 12 Championship on Friday at 10:05 a.m., as the Wildcats will start on the 10th tee. Live results can be followed at www.Golfstat.com.
The Wildcats played Nos. 16, 17 and 18 at a collective 2-under par, the only team to go under par on the closing three holes. The round of 292 was the Wildcats' second-best round ever in a conference championship behind the 287 they posted in the first round in 2021.
"The ladies did a nice job today," head coach Stew Burke said. "They stuck to the plan, overcame some wobbles and really battled on the closing holes to make sure we posted a decent number. It was a total team effort, and kudos to Haley (Vargas) on a great round. We need more of the same tomorrow in addition to lots of patience and good acceptance, and I'm looking for a slight improvement in our decision-making."
Kansas State, ranked 55th in the country entering the conference championship, is tied with No. 40 Baylor and No. 49 Iowa State at 8-over par, and the Wildcats are only a shot back of TCU and four strokes behind the second-place team, No. 38 Houston.
K-State was led on Thursday by senior Haley Vargas, who is tied for fourth place with a first-round score of 1-under par 70, the first under-par round in her Big 12 Championship career. After sitting at 1-over par through the first 15 holes, the Lubbock, Texas, product birdied both Nos. 16 and 17 to produce her 10th under-par round of the season. Vargas enters the second round just one shot behind a three-way tie for first place.
Junior Carla Bernat is tied for 17th place following a score of 2-over par 73. It was her first over-par round with the Wildcats since the final 18 holes of the Westbrook Invitational in late February, but the Castellon, Spain, native ended her day with a birdie on No. 18 to give her momentum heading into Friday.
Sophomore Noa van Beek is tied for 25th place with a 3-over par 74, a shot ahead of freshman Alenka Navarro, who is tied for 34th place. Another freshman, Julia Ballester Barrio, carded a 5-over par 76 and is tied for 45th place.
No. 11 Texas holds the first-round lead at 2-over par 286. The Longhorns' Lauren Kim is tied atop the individual leaderboard with Iowa State's Karisa Chul-Ak-Sorn and Liyana Durisic as all three turned in rounds of 2-under par 69.
Kansas State begins the second round of the 2024 Big 12 Championship on Friday at 10:05 a.m., as the Wildcats will start on the 10th tee. Live results can be followed at www.Golfstat.com.
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