No. 7 Texas ladies’s golf preps for Large 12 Match Play

After successful the Cactus Cup Championship and a top-five efficiency within the Ping ASU Invitational, the Longhorns will head again to Scottsdale, Arizona, to start Large 12 match play from April 7–9.

Texas secured the No. 1 seed in its convention and acquired the very best rating amongst Large 12 groups. The Longhorns are not any stranger to success with regards to convention match play, successful the Large 12 championship three straight years from 2017–19 and securing their seventh event win final season. Texas has both teed off in opposition to or alongside each convention opponent besides Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, West Virginia and TCU.

No matter which sport it is likely to be, expertise is usually a main key to victory for any athletic crew. Senior Sophie Guo makes environment friendly use of her veteran standing when going toe-to-toe in opposition to competitors. The senior from Orlando, Florida, has earned a number of Large 12 honors throughout her time in Austin and is ranked No. 50 within the nation, in line with Golfstat. 

“Undoubtedly after enjoying the tournaments extra, I really feel like my psychological recreation is likely to be stronger than others,” Guo stated. 

In distinction, this might be a couple of gamers’ first time competing in Large 12 match play, together with freshman Cindy Hsu. With three top-10 finishes this season — essentially the most amongst her teammates — Hsu has been a major contributor to the Longhorns’ success. Even then, Hsu incorporates no matter steerage and recommendation she receives from her friends into her recreation. 

“For match play, they inform me (when) you’ve gotten a birdie, win a gap or lose a gap, don’t react an excessive amount of,” Hsu stated. “Should you react an excessive amount of about dropping a gap, they is likely to be like ‘They’re out of thoughts’ or one thing. It is likely to be simpler for them to win extra holes, so simply don’t react an excessive amount of.”

With this upcoming event comes a special course, this time on the Kierland Golf Membership. Hsu stated that the crew practices a few of the match play with one another, to allow them to mentally put together for the totally different sorts of tournaments. As an example, this course is shorter than common, so Texas has been practising a number of wedges.

Arizona is well-known for its dry warmth, which may additionally issue into the event. 

“We now have to play 36 holes three days in a row,” Hsu stated. “We now have to maintain absorbing water. Clearly, in Arizona, it’s fairly dry.”

Becoming a member of the Longhorns in Scottsdale are Oklahoma State’s No. 11 junior Maddison Hinson-Tolchard, Iowa State’s No. 13 freshmen Karisa Chul-Ak-Sorn and two top-25 gamers from Baylor. With a batch of gamers like this, the Longhorns will certainly have their palms full come gametime. 

“I really feel like I can win the match if I simply play my recreation,” Guo stated. “(I strive) not to consider my opponent that a lot. (If) I simply play my recreation shot by shot, I’ll have a fairly good likelihood at successful the match.”

Texas’ lineup consists of each Guo and Hsu, freshmen Angela Heo and Emily Odwin and junior Bentley Cotton. Additionally becoming a member of the Longhorns is sophomore Bohyun Park, who simply closed out play on the Augusta Nationwide Ladies’s Novice. Park was considered one of 72 gamers invited to compete and made it by means of the primary two rounds, taking pictures 73-70 and ranked ninth. One among Park’s best achievements throughout her time in Augusta was recording the primary ever hole-in-one in Augusta Nationwide Ladies’s Novice historical past. 

“That was superior,” Hsu stated about Park’s ace. “It’s one of the best event to make a hole-in-one. It was wonderful. We had been all actually pleased for her.”

Texas will tee off Friday morning in opposition to No. 4 Oklahoma State and No. 7 Kansas in pool play. Bracket play begins Saturday afternoon.