Kansas women win Golfweek Red Sky Classic

In nearly every aspect of preparation for the Golfweek Red Sky Challenge, Lindsay Kuhle used the same tagline: High and soft.

“They laugh at me when I say, high and soft, high and soft,” Kuhle said of team preparations for Red Sky Golf Club in Wolcott, Colorado. “To carry it, know your distance and direction and be on the right side of the hole. That’s all we talked about this week – and we talked about putting, high and soft; wedges, high and soft; approach shots, high and soft. Because it is firm but you do have to carry it on the green.”

Clearly, it resonated, because Kansas left the scenic Tom Fazio layout, nestled into the mountains at more than 8,000 feet, with the team title. The Jayhawks were 15 under for 54 holes, which was seven shots ahead of two-time defending champion Pepperdine and Boise State.

Eastern Michigan’s Savannah De Bock won the individual title at 12 under.

Scores: Golfweek Red Sky Classic

The win is just another chapter in Kuhle’s long history at Red Sky, though she remains unsure whether her Kansas team knows the extent of that story. Kuhle, a Colorado native, spent 15 seasons at Denver University, including nine as the head coach. She has coached a team in this event nearly every year since it debuted at Red Sky, in 2010. In the early years, Denver was the event co-host.

“I think they know I know the course,” Kuhle said, “but I don’t think they know how well and how many times I’ve been here.”

Kuhle hadn’t brought a Kansas team to Red Sky, however, since 2021 – her first year as head coach. The Jayhawks finished 10th of 20 teams that year. This time, she started four seniors and a junior. It’s an old team with experience and for proof, check the individual honors.

Over the summer, her 10-tournament roster collected 13 individual titles – everything from the Austrian Women’s Open to the English Women’s Open to the Florida State Women’s Open to the Kansas Women’s Amateur.

“I do think it says a lot about the growth of our program in three short years if you look at where we were at this tournament three years ago to today, we’ve just got players that want to turn pro and players that love the game of golf and compete hard for KU,” Kuhle said.

Last spring, Kuhle coached Kansas to its first team title at the Westbrook Invitational. The Golfweek Red Sky Invitational is now Kuhle’s second.

“Wins are hard to come by and it’s getting more competitive in women’s college golf and…