UM golfers first round leaders at Big Sky tourney
4/17/2006 12:00:00 AM | Golf
The University of Montana golf team is the first-round leader at the Big Sky Women??s Golf Championship in Goodyear, Ariz., after carding a school-record 298. The Grizzlies, who lead the tournament by nine strokes, also boasted three of the top six finishers in Monday??s opening round.
Eastern Washington and Portland State are tied for second at 19-over-par 307. Sacramento State and Northern Arizona share fourth place with a 308.
??The team played very well, very consistent despite the windy conditions,?? Griz coach Joanne Steele said. ??We??ve been really patient and kept our composure which is really paying off.??
Montana??s first-round score bested the previous school record by one stroke. UM tallied 299??s at the 2005 Montana State Invitational and the 2005 Big Sky Women??s Golf Championship, which were both played at this year??s tournament venue, the Palm Valley Golf Club.
Steele and the Grizzlies have played at Palm Valley eight times over the last four seasons, which the 10th-year head coach feels has given her team confidence.
??The course is real appealing to the eye. It??s a fairly wide open with large fairways,?? Steele said. ??Jasi (Acharya) has played over 30 rounds here in her career, between the league championships and the MSU tournaments. It??s a course that the team is familiar with.??
Acharya, a senior from Columbus, Mont., shot a 1-over-par 73 to lead all Grizzlies in second place. Acharya, who birdied four consecutive holes at Nos. 9, 10, 11, and 12, is three strokes back of individual leader Kelly Gillum of Montana State.
Senior Mary Hasselberg and junior Krista Swanson are in a four-way tie for third after shooting 2-over-par 74's. The two Grizzlies join Eastern Washington??s Eva Yoe and Sacramento State??s Heather LeMaster five strokes off the lead.
Hasselberg and Swanson each recorded 14 pars in the opening round, joining LeMaster and Gillum for most among tourney competitors through day one.
Sophomore Anna Maria Jaramillo is tied for 13th after matching her season-best score of 77 in the first round. Jaramillo, who has averaged 85.3 strokes per round this year, hadn??t turned in a score sub-80 all spring.
Fellow sophomore Brittany Williamson rounded out the lineup with a first-round 79, which has her tied for 19th overall.
??The team knew coming in that in order to be strong each player would have to shoot in the 70??s. They are relying on each other and believe in each other,?? Steele said. ??As the round progressed, our players noticed that good things were happening. I think it took pressure off the top players to see the entire team shooting right around par.??
Tuesday??s second round begins with 7:30 a.m. (MTN) tee times for the first groups to go off. Montana is scheduled to tee off at 8:15 a.m. The final round is scheduled to be played Wednesday.
Eastern Washington and Portland State are tied for second at 19-over-par 307. Sacramento State and Northern Arizona share fourth place with a 308.
??The team played very well, very consistent despite the windy conditions,?? Griz coach Joanne Steele said. ??We??ve been really patient and kept our composure which is really paying off.??
Montana??s first-round score bested the previous school record by one stroke. UM tallied 299??s at the 2005 Montana State Invitational and the 2005 Big Sky Women??s Golf Championship, which were both played at this year??s tournament venue, the Palm Valley Golf Club.
Steele and the Grizzlies have played at Palm Valley eight times over the last four seasons, which the 10th-year head coach feels has given her team confidence.
??The course is real appealing to the eye. It??s a fairly wide open with large fairways,?? Steele said. ??Jasi (Acharya) has played over 30 rounds here in her career, between the league championships and the MSU tournaments. It??s a course that the team is familiar with.??
Acharya, a senior from Columbus, Mont., shot a 1-over-par 73 to lead all Grizzlies in second place. Acharya, who birdied four consecutive holes at Nos. 9, 10, 11, and 12, is three strokes back of individual leader Kelly Gillum of Montana State.
Senior Mary Hasselberg and junior Krista Swanson are in a four-way tie for third after shooting 2-over-par 74's. The two Grizzlies join Eastern Washington??s Eva Yoe and Sacramento State??s Heather LeMaster five strokes off the lead.
Hasselberg and Swanson each recorded 14 pars in the opening round, joining LeMaster and Gillum for most among tourney competitors through day one.
Sophomore Anna Maria Jaramillo is tied for 13th after matching her season-best score of 77 in the first round. Jaramillo, who has averaged 85.3 strokes per round this year, hadn??t turned in a score sub-80 all spring.
Fellow sophomore Brittany Williamson rounded out the lineup with a first-round 79, which has her tied for 19th overall.
??The team knew coming in that in order to be strong each player would have to shoot in the 70??s. They are relying on each other and believe in each other,?? Steele said. ??As the round progressed, our players noticed that good things were happening. I think it took pressure off the top players to see the entire team shooting right around par.??
Tuesday??s second round begins with 7:30 a.m. (MTN) tee times for the first groups to go off. Montana is scheduled to tee off at 8:15 a.m. The final round is scheduled to be played Wednesday.
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