LUBBOCK, Texas The K-State women’s golf team recorded its highest finish in post-season history at the Big 12 Championships on Sunday after placing fourth at the Rawls Course in Lubbock, Texas.

Elise Houtz, Morgan Moon and Ami Storey all finished in the top-20 and the Wildcats carded a 311-311-322944 (+68) tournament score for their fourth-place finish.

“I’m proud of the kids,” head coach Kristi Knight said. “I though they hung in there and never let the conditions frustrate them; they just kept plugging away. It was a tough day today, and if you just look at the overall scores you will see that.”

It was also the best finish in any tournament for the Wildcats since finishing second in the Edwin Watts/Palmetto Intercollegiate on Oct. 30, 2007.

Oklahoma State cruised to an easy victory in the final round, widening its margin to take first place by 13 strokes. The Cowgirls carded a 33-over par a 295-302-312909 for the tournament and placed three players in the top-five. Texas A&M finished the tournament in second place as the Aggies had three top-10 finishers, including tournament champion Ashley Freeman.

Kendall Dye of Oklahoma shot a 3-over in the final round to force a playoff with Texas A&M’s Ashley Freeman, but it was not enough as Freeman became the Big 12 Champion on Sunday, carding a  6-over 72-73-80225. Oklahoma State took the next three spots as Caroline Hedwall and Pernilla Lindberg tied for third and Amanda Johnson finished in fifth.

K-State’s Morgan Moon and Elise Houtz, who tied for 15th, led the Wildcats’ squad throughout the tournament and both finished with 16-over scores of 235. Playing in her first Big 12 Championship, Moon had her highest finish since tying for 13th in the Jeannine McHaney/Audrey Morehead Invitational in October. Houtz set a record for her highest career finish as her previous best was a 22nd place tie earlier this spring in the Dr. Donnis Thompson Invitational.

“Morgan and Amy hit the ball well today, but did not putt well,” Knight said. “Ami played a lot of good golf for two days and hit the ball fairly well, but the conditions were really tough today. It wasn’t easy to get the ball close to the hole today. With the size of the greens, the wind and the hole locations, we had a lot of long putts.”

Ami Storey was the third Wildcat to finish in the top-20, as she tied for 20th and carded a 17-over 78-77-81236. Storey finished just one stroke back from K-State’s leaders in her first Big 12 Championship appearance.

Paige Osterloo again cut two strokes off her score in round three and finished the tournament at 82-80-78240 (+21) to tie for 34th place.

Abbi Sunner shot identical rounds of 81 throughout the tournament and finished tied for 44th place at 243 strokes.

“I think as young as we are it says a lot about what is ahead,” Knight said. “They finished their season on a strong note and I’m proud of their effort.”

K-State concluded the 2008-09 season on Sunday and will return its entire roster for the 2009-10 season.

Big 12 Championship
Lubbock, Texas
The Rawls Course
Par 73/ 6,564 Yards

Team Scores: 1. Oklahoma State, 295-302-312909 (+33); 2. Texas A&M, 304-299-319922 (+46); 3. Oklahoma, 315-306-317938 (+62); 4. K-State, 311-311-322944 (+68); 5. Kansas, 312-310-323945 (+69); 6. Texas, 321-308-317946 (+70); 7. Baylor, 322-313-315950 (+74); T8. Colorado, 317-305-330952 (+76); T8. Iowa State, 325-315-312952 (+76); 10. Nebraska, 315-314-324953 (+77); T11. Texas Tech, 326-312-319957 (+81); T11. Missouri, 317-311-329957 (+81). 

Top Individuals: 1. * Ashley Freeman, Texas A&M, 72-73-80225 (+6); 2. Kendall Dye, Oklahoma, 76-73-77226 (+7); T3. Caroline Hedwall, Oklahoma State, 70-75-81226 (+7); T3. Pernilla Lindberg, Oklahoma State, 73-75-78226 (+7); 5. Amanda Johnson, Oklahoma State, 73-75-80228 (+9).    

K-State Individuals: T15. Elise Houtz, 80-73-82235 (+16); T15. Morgan Moon, 72-81-82235 (+16); T20. Ami Storey, 78-77-81236 (+17); T34. Paige Osterloo, 82-80-78240 (+21); T44. Abbi Sunner, 81-81-81243 (+24). 

* Won in a playoff