Griz third after first round at championship
4/20/2009 12:00:00 AM | Golf
The University of Montana golf team is tied in third place after the first round of the 2009 Big Sky Conference championship held on Monday, April 20. The Grizzlies finished the first round at the Ocotillo Golf Club in Chandler, Ariz., carding a 312 on the 6,108 yard,??par 72??course.
The tournament will continue through Wednesday, April 22, with one round being played Tuesday and the final round on Wednesday.
Northern Arizona has taken the early lead, carding a first-round total of 298. Sacramento State trails the Lumberjacks by ten strokes with 308. Portland State carded a 312 to tie with the Grizzlies in third place.
Weber State carded a 315 to finish in fifth. Northern Colorado (324), Idaho State (324), Montana State (331) and Eastern Washington (335) round out the final places.
NAU???s Alexa Kim shot an even par 72 to place first among individuals after the first day. Fellow teammate Bethany Leclair shot a two-over-par 74 to finish in second.
Sophomore Carissa Simmons proved she was ready to compete for the title today when she finished with a three-over-par score of 75 to tie for third overall after the first 18 holes.
Simmons finished the 2009 regular-season ranked 14th in Big Sky for her stroke average of 79.5 this past fall and spring. She was also Montana???s top finisher at the 2008 BSC championships, finishing in third place with a seven-over-par total of 223.
Junior Jacqueline Olson and freshman Ashli Helstrom each had strong starts to the championship after shooting six-over-par 78s to tie for 13th place.
Sophomore Kacey Valla carded an 81 to finish tied in 28th to round out the team score.
Sophomore Rose Stepanek finished in 44th after carding a first-round 95.
