UM heads to Florida International Invitational
10/23/2008 12:00:00 AM | Golf
The Grizzlies will head south next week for the Florida International Pat Bradley Invitational on Monday, Oct. 27, and Tuesday, Oct. 28, to wrap up their fall season of competition. The Invitational is being hosted by Florida International University and play will be held at the Pelican Preserve Golf Club in Fort Myers, Florida.
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The par 72 course will span 6,116 yards with a 36-hole first day, followed by a single round on the final day. Tee time for both days is set for 9 am (ET).
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The 54-hole tournament will feature 13 collegiate teams from diverse regions across the nation. They include Texas A & M, Mid Tennessee State, Stetson, Ball State, Florida Atlantic, Florida Southern, Daytona Beach College, Kennesaw State, Florida International, South Florida, and Woffard.
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Montana will be the only team to represent the Big Sky Conference at the Pat Bradley Invitational.
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Five members of Montana???s golf team will be traveling. They include: junior Jacqueline Olson, sophomores Carissa Simmons, Rose Stepanek, and Kacey Valla, and freshman Ashli Helstrom.
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The women traveling are the same five who performed very well together at the Washington State Inland Cup in September where they claimed fourth out of 11 teams.
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Traveling to southern Florida will certainly be something different for the Grizzlies. Steele explains, ???They are going down there not knowing what to expect. The grasses are different, the greens are different and there is water on every hole.
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???But this is good exposure for them as golfers and for the University too. It???s good to go and see other schools in the country and say, ???Hey, where do I stack up against other schools in the east and in the south???? ???
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Coach Steele competed in the Florida International Pat Bradley Invitational herself as a collegiate athlete, playing for Jacksonville University. Although she has not played at the Pelican Preserve Golf Club, she is excited for the team to compete.
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???It might play well for us because they are really going to have to focus on every shot; there is no time to let your mind wander,??? she said. ???And I think we need to go somewhere warm. It???s a good way to end the fall.???
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UM will finish fall play with four tournaments under its belt in preparation for the spring. After a good showing at the Washington State Inland Cup, the Grizzlies struggled in the first rounds of the Inland Empire Collegiate Invitational and the Boise State Fall Invitational.
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Steele admitted to the players??? poor performances in a few of the first rounds this fall, but ???they have found ways to come back the next day, and put in a good performance,??? she said.
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???Its been a good fall season because we have had a good mixture of players in the top five in terms of the traveling team and it shows to everyone on the team that each player has an opportunity to travel.?????
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As for the spring, Steele stated, ???consistency is key, and once we are under pressure and on a new course, performance changes. I???d like to see them throw themselves into a situation like that and be able to handle it a little better.???
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Montana will return to action in February when it travels to the Northern Arizona Red Rocks Invitational.
