COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Sooners are set to continue their postseason as the No. 9 seed at the Columbus Regional, slated for May 10-12 at the OSU Golf Club – Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio. The top six teams from the 54-hole regional will advance to the NCAA Championship, scheduled for May 21-26 at Grayhawk GC in Scottsdale, Ariz. “We’re so excited to compete this week in Columbus at a really great golf course,” head coach Veronique Drouin-Luttrell said. “The postseason is a brand new season and a different type of grind. We feel like we’re playing our best golf at the right time, and we’ll need to be focused on playing our game if we want to advance to the championship.”It’s Oklahoma’s fourth consecutive appearance in an NCAA regional and ninth in 11 postseasons under head coach Drouin-Luttrell. It’s the team’s third all-time trip to Columbus as it played in the 1981 and 1985 Lady Buckeye Invitational. The Sooners own the nation’s 11th-lowest scoring average vs. par of 1.24, which is second-best among teams at the Columbus regional.OU’s 54-hole average of 288.33 is the nation’s eighth-best and second all-time at OU as Drouin-Luttrell’s teams have rewritten the record book in Norman, tallying the top 12 scoring averages in program history, carding sub-300 averages every season since Drouin-Luttrell arrived in 2009.The Sooners finished inside the top five in five of their six tournaments in 2020-21, including a fourth-place finish at the Big 12 championship, just two shots off second place. All five of Oklahoma’s starters rank in the top eight all-time in scoring average at Oklahoma, including the four lowest in program history. They’ve combined for 47 top-20 finishes and 24 top 10s in the Crimson and Cream. Spectators are permitted based on local/state guidelines, which are subject to change. It is requested that spectators wear masks at all times and follow physical distancing protocols, including remaining at least 15 yards away from student-athletes, coaches and other team personnel. Spectators must also keep distanced from tee boxes and greens. The event is free of charge.
THE FIELD
1. Duke (2)
2. Arizona State (7)
3. Virginia (11)
4. Kent State (15)
5. Georgia (18)
6. Vanderbilt (24)
7. Michigan (26)
8. Clemson (30)
9. Oklahoma (33)
10. Kentucky (37)
11. Illinois (42)
12. New Mexico (46)
13. Nebraska (49)
14. Washington (54)
15. Coastal Carolina (67)
16. Campbell (82)
17. Evansville (175)
18. Youngstown State (177)
Regional seeds listed in order; GolfStat national rankings in parentheses
OU LINEUP
Mikhaela Fortuna, Jr., Manila, Philippines: Second appearance at an NCAA Regional, finished T51 at 2019 Norman Regional … Tied for third-lowest scoring average (73.00) in OU history … Played in four events for the Sooners this spring after sitting out fall season … Posted T12 finish at the Big 12 Championship and was in second after the first round … Six of her nine rounds in 2021 are par or better … Career-best finish is T7, accomplished twice … 3-0 at Big 12 match play in 2021 … Second-lowest single-season scoring average (71.90) in OU history as a sophomore. Hannah Screen, Jr., London, U.K.: Second NCAA Regional appearance, but first as a Sooner, finishing T41 at the 2019 Auburn Regional for Houston … In first season as a Sooner after transferring from Houston where she was All-AAC and led the Cougars to an AAC title … 71.43 scoring average would be second-lowest in program history … Led Sooners at five tournaments this season, including T4 at Big 12 Championship.Kaitlin Milligan, Sr., Norman, Okla.: Making third NCAA Regional appearance … Won the 2019 NCAA Norman Regional and finished T29 at the 2018 Austin Regional … Tied for third-lowest career scoring average of 73.00 in program history, with fifth-lowest score versus par (1.26) … Played in the 2021 Augusta National Women’s Amateur (T19) … Team-high 18 top-20 finishes and 10 top-10 placements … Owns school records for low round (62) and three-round score (199) and single-season scoring record (71.40, -0.30) … All-Big 12 honoree in 2019. Maria Fernanda Martinez, R-So., Veracruz, Mexico: First appearance at an NCAA Regional … Career scoring average of 74.06 is eighth-lowest in OU history … Tied career-best finish of T19 at the Big 12 Championship, posting back-to-back 70s to close the tournament … Four of her last six rounds are par-or-better … Advanced to round of 32 at the USGA Women’s Am Four Ball with sister Maria Jose, who plays at Houston. Libby Winans, Jr., Richardson, Texas: Second NCAA Regional appearance, finishing T46 at the 2019 NCAA Norman Regional … Second all-time at OU for career scoring average (72.77) and tied for third-best versus par average (1.22) … Career-low round of 64 is second-best in school history … Set OU freshman record for scoring (72.59) in 2018-19 … Sister, Meagan, will join the Sooners as a freshman in the fall of 2021.
THE COURSE
The Scarlet Course at the Ohio State University Golf Club has played host to four NCAA women’s championships and 10 men’s championships since its inception in 1940. It was designed originally by Alister MacKenzie and was the last course he ever created. The course underwent a renovation at the pen of Jack Nicklaus in 2006. The par-72, 6,358-yard course is set to provide a strong test for some of the nation’s best as no team has ever finished within five strokes of par at a Columbus Regional in NCAA history.
FORMAT
Fifty-four holes will be played over three days, with teams playing 18 holes on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.There are three other NCAA Regionals in addition to the Columbus Regional, as the top six teams from each Regional will advance to the NCAA Championship, as well as the low-three individuals not on a qualifying team from each site.
TEE TIMES AND PAIRINGS
Day one pairings were established based off the Regional seeds, pitting No. 9 Oklahoma with No. 7 Michigan and No. 8 Clemson on Monday. Tuesday and Wednesday’s pairings will be set off the leaderboard. Tee times will be announced by the tournament committee on Sunday, but all teams will tee off between 8:00-10:48 a.m. ET off holes No. 1 and 10.
LIVE STATS
Live scoring will be available on Golfstat.com.
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