Kansas’ Lauren Clark (women’s) and Utah’s Gabriel Palacios (men’s) captured Big 12 Golfer of the Month Awards for February.
Clark helped the Jayhawks win two of their three spring tournaments, while winning individual titles at the PDI Intercollegiate and Westbrook Invitational. The Orlando native set a new KU 54-hole scoring record in her home city with a 15-under 201, beating the rest of the PDI Intercollegiate field by five strokes. The senior broke her own record in the next tournament, firing a 17-under 199 at Westbrook Village Golf Club in Peoria, Arizona, winning the individual title by five strokes and helping the Jayhawks to a team crown. She led off the spring with a fifth-place finish at the Match in the Desert at Superstition Mountain Golf Club, signing for an even-par 72 in the 18-hole event. It is Clark’s first career honor.
Palacios secured individual and team titles at the John Burns Intercollegiate in Lihue, Hawaii. The sophomore used a birdie on his 54th hole of the tournament to tie for both the individual and team titles, capping a run of six birdies in his final 10 holes for a final-round 65. The Guatemala City native navigated the Ocean Course at Hokuala in 199 strokes (-11), tying with UNLV’s Zach Little. The Utes went 22 strokes under par, marking their season best. Palacios becomes the first Utah golfer to win Big 12 monthly recognition.