Women's Golf: A Season in Review

NORMAN, Okla. The University of Oklahoma women's golf team finished in fifth place at the Big 12 Championships in Waco, Texas, after posting a final-round 308 (+20) on April 18. The Sooners shot a tournament total of 937 (+73) on the par-72, 6,142-yard Ridgewood Country Club Golf Course and picked up their third top-five finish of the season.

Despite OU's solid showing in the conference event, the team did not receive a bid to compete in NCAA postseason play and its season came to an end.

Seven months earlier, Oklahoma opened the fall slate with a pair of top-five finishes, placing in a tie for third at the Badger Invitational in Madison, Wis., and fourth at the Jeannine McHaney Invitational in Lubbock, Texas. The team wasn't quite as successful in its final three fall events, finishing ninth at the Wolverine Invitational in Ann Arbor, Mich., 16th at the Price's “Give 'em Five” Intercollegiate in Las Cruces, N.M., and ninth at the Kent Youel Invitational in Oahu, Hawaii.

The spring season saw several Sooners step up to lead the team to improved performances. OU competed in six spring events and finished seventh or better in five of them. The squad's best placing was fifth at its final tournament of the season the Big 12 Championships.

Season Review

Juniors Heather Wright and Kelly Jacques were constants in the spring lineup.

Wright shot a 221 at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic to finish in a tie for 15th. Wright also led the Sooners in their annual home tournament, the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic, by shooting a 218 (+2) to land in a tie for 12th place. The Houston, Texas, native, who competed only in the spring, posted the team's lowest stroke average on the year (75.8).

Jacques was the top Sooner finisher at all five fall tournaments, tying for sixth place at the Badger Invitational and seventh at the Jeannine McHaney Invitational. Despite her impressive first-semester showing, the Longmont, Colo., native saved her best for last, firing a three-round 229 (+13) at the Big 12 Championships. The performance earned her a tie for fourth and a spot on the Big 12 All-Tournament team. Jacques was also voted to the All-Big 12 Team by the league's coaches. She became the 14th Sooner to earn all-conference honors.

Sophomore Kendall Dye finished in a career-best second-place tie at the Mountain View Collegiate March 24-25 in Tucson, Ariz. The sophomore shot a 68 in the second round to post the best Sooner finish of the season. Dye also opened the year with a then-career-best ninth-place effort at the Badger Invitational and finished in a tie for 22nd at the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic.

Freshman Chelsey Collins posted top-20 finishes at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic (T15) and the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic (T16). Collins, who competed in all six tournaments of the spring, tied an 18-hole low for this year's Sooners, shooting a 4-under-par 68 in the second round of her first collegiate tournament, the Lady Puerto Rico Classic. OU's other -4 effort was recorded by Dye at the Mountain View Collegiate.

Freshman Andrea Sellmeyer saw action in five tournaments in her first season as a Sooner. The McAlester, Okla., product notched a 13th-place tie in her season-best showing at the Betsy Rawls Invitational in Austin, Texas. Sellmeyer turned in a 69 in the second round, marking her best 18-hole score of the year.

Seniors Megan Goodwin and Jaclyn Stelzer consistently saw time in the Oklahoma lineup. Goodwin, from Lawton, Okla., turned in her best career showing at the Jeannine McHaney Invitational by shooting a 54-hole 219 to finish in a tie for 19th. Goodwin set another career best at the same tourney with a 71 in the second round. Stelzer, who hails from Allen, Texas, shot a 223 at the Susie Maxwell Berning Classic, besting her previous 54-hole mark of 227. Her tie for 22nd place also marked her top finish of the season.

Staci Smoot opened the season with a career-best fifth-place finish at the Badger Invitational. The Jeannine McHaney Invitational also produced personal best scores for the sophomore as she turned in a second-round 71 and a 54-hole 232.

Redshirt freshman Ryanne Elmer, sophomore Sydney Lee and freshman Joyce Trus each took turns in the lineup to help impact the Sooners. Elmer competed in three tournaments, while Lee and Trus each competed in two.

All told, the Sooners posted nine top-10 team finishes, their most since the 2002-03 campaign. Wright was followed in scoring average by Jacques (75.9), Dye (77.0), Collins (77.4), Lee (77.5), Sellmeyer (77.9), Goodwin (78.3), Stelzer (79.4), Smoot (80.2), Elmer (80.7) and Trus (83.3).

Head coach Carol Ludvigson's squad excelled off the course, per usual. Seniors Jaclyn Stelzer and Megan Goodwin, junior Kelly Jacques and sophomore Kendall Dye were all named to the Academic All-Big 12 First Team.

University of Oklahoma Athletics

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