N.C. State junior makes NCAA women’s golf history at Cougar Classic

North Carolina State junior Lauren Olivares Leon nearly shot 59 on Monday at the Cougar Classic, but she settled for a piece of history anyway.

Olivares Leon carded an 11-under 60 in the first round of the college women’s event at Yeamans Hall Club in Charleston, South Carolina, making 13 birdies in the process. She also had two bogeys on the 6,269-yard Seth Raynor layout.

Live scoring initially credited Olivares Leon with a 59, though when she officially signed her card, her score was corrected online to show a par at the par-4 seventh hole, not a birdie.

Though she didn’t break 60, Olivares Leon, who is ranked No. 182 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, still became the NCAA record holder for 18-hole score. Prior to Olivares Leon’s 60, five NCAA women’s golfers shared the previous record of 61:

• Denver’s Anna Zanusso, 2020 Westbrook Invitational
• Ole Miss’ Julia Johnson, 2019 Battle at the Beach
• Gonzaga’s Bianca Pagdanganan, 2017 Pizza Hut/Pat Hicks Thunderbird Invite
• Colorado’s Esther Lee, 2016 Dick McGuire Invitational
• Stanford’s Mariah Stackhouse, 2013 Peg Barnard Invitational

No men’s college golfer has shot 59, though 17 have carded 60, most recently Auburn’s Ryan Eshleman at last fall’s Maui Jim Intercollegiate.