The 2020-21 Baylor Bears (Brayden Conover)
A perennial party, the Schooner Fall Classic hosted annually by country artist Toby Keith and the Oklahoma Sooners was the first Big 12 affiliated tournament since March. Played at Keith’s home course, Belmar Golf Club in Norman, Oklahoma, the usual pre-tournament party at Keith's house and stop by Keith's foundation the OK Kids Korral were a no go due to COVID-19.
With an altered look, the tournament went off without a hitch as protocols were in place and executed by each and every person on site.
Executing both COVID protocol and nearly every golf shot they could imagine, the Baylor Bears absolutely crushed the field with a team score of 7-under 833 to win by 31 strokes over the Horned Frogs and Sooners (+24).
“To take a six, seven month hiatus, they really have never stopped working on their game,” Baylor head coach Jay Goble told AmateurGolf.com. “To have a chance to compete again is huge. I’m really excited that the Big 12 decided to continue on with golf...We all feel that football is playing, golf can play. We work as hard just like every other team. We deserve the opportunity to compete as well.”
Baylor took the opportunity to play and ran with it. Of the five players to finish at or below par in the 35+ mph winds, the Bears claimed three of those finishes. They also finished with 10 of the 34 total rounds under par from the 11 team field.
Lady Bear junior Gurleen Kaur added a cherry on top as she co-medaled with rounds of 69-69-67 for a 5-under 210 total.
“I’m really familiar with the course,” Kaur said. “I’ve always had a good feeling and just love being here. The thing I did great today was just keeping it in play. I didn’t miss too many fairways which was a good thing.”
Also keeping it in play despite the gusty north winds and ankle-deep prairie grass that line the fairways at Belmar was Kansas State senior, Reid Isaac. Accepting co-medalist honors, Isaac told her competitors that she was “grateful” for the opportunity to play college golf once again.
Almost crashing the Big 12’s party was the University of North Texas. The Mean Green were just 12 shots off of Baylor’s pace as the second round came to a close Monday morning after a gust front put a stop to play late Sunday.
Unable to do what Kaur and Isaac were able to do, North Texas posted a team score of 21 over par in the final round. The free fall slid them from second place to a solo fourth-place finish at 26-over 866.
The Big 12 will be back in action in two weeks as the Texas Longhorns will play host at the Betsy Rawls Invitational in Austin, Texas.
ABOUT THE The Schooner Fall Classic
54-hole women's college
tournament hosted
by the University of Oklahoma. Team (best four
scores
out of five players each round) and individual
competitions.
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