A first individual title followed by a conference award
Louise Cuyvers, the Belgian golfer representing the University of Southern Mississippi, has concluded the autumn collegiate schedule with her first individual tournament victory. At The Judson, held on 26–27 October 2026 at Hattiesburg Country Club in Mississippi, United States, she posted 204 strokes over 54 holes, 12 under par. On 29 October the Sun Belt Conference named her Women's Golfer of the Week, her first such conference honour.
The Belgian connection is Cuyvers herself: she is a native of Lincent, Belgium. This was an American collegiate event, not a tournament held in Belgium. Her performance is nevertheless a noteworthy development for a Belgian player competing overseas.
How she built a six-shot victory
Cuyvers opened on the par-72 course with a five-under 67, followed with 69 (−3) and signed for 68 (−4) in the final round. Her advantage was three strokes through 36 holes and extended to six strokes by the finish. Mercedes Aldana of South Alabama finished runner-up at six under.
Her week featured 18 birdies, exactly six in each round. Across the remaining holes she recorded 30 pars and six bogeys, accounting for the 12-under aggregate. She made a birdie on the par-five ninth hole in each of the three rounds. The distinction matters: an overall score below par does not, by itself, reveal how many birdies a player made.
The 204 total was her lowest career 54-hole score, improving by seven strokes on the 211 she had previously returned at The Lady Clerico.
Individual winner, team runner-up
Although Cuyvers took the individual trophy, South Alabama won the team competition at one over par. Southern Miss finished second at 13 over, twelve strokes back. Individual and team leaderboards reflect distinct competitions, so the Golden Eagles were not the overall team champions.
The subsequent Sun Belt weekly award on 29 October recognised the Belgian's tournament performance. Cuyvers had already earned All-Sun Belt Second Team honours last season, making this her latest step forward in US college golf.
What the result means for Belgian golf
For a player from Lincent, this win combines sustained scoring across all three rounds with recognition from a major American college athletic conference. It is a Belgian player achievement on US soil, rather than a Belgian domestic championship result. With the university's autumn schedule completed, Cuyvers has provided one of the week's notable Belgian individual golf stories.
Verified sources: Southern Miss, 27 October, Sun Belt Conference, 29 October, and Belgian golf outlet Golf.be, 28 October.
