Montana
Wyoming Cowgirl Classic
Griz close Cowgirl Classic with 294
4/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Golf
April 8, 2014
The Montana golf team shot a final-round 294, the third-lowest total in program history, and finished in a tie for sixth at the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic Tuesday afternoon at the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Course in Maricopa, Ariz.
Beyond just improving their single-round totals from 314 to 301 to 294 from Monday morning to Tuesday afternoon, the Grizzlies also managed to put a target on their backs for the upcoming Big Sky Conference championship, which will be held April 20-22 at Chandler, Ariz.
The Cowgirl Classic annually serves as the final warm-up tournament leading up to the Big Sky championship, and Montana defeated the seven other league teams who were competing.
The Grizzlies (314-301-294--909) started the day behind both Sacramento State (305-301-306--912) and Portland State (306-306-309--921), the two teams that received all 11 first-place votes in the Big Sky preseason coaches' poll, but passed both the Hornets and Vikings in the final standings.
"This was a good opportunity for us to see where we match up and for the girls to see what they are capable of," said first-year UM coach Joni Stephens. "This team is capable of winning conference, and they proved that at this tournament."
Freshman Barbora Bakova (76-75-72--223) carded six birdies in the final round, including three over the course of seven holes on the back nine, to finish with an even-par 72. Junior Tara Green (78-72-73--223), 1-over on the day, had four birdies.
The pair, which combined to play the final two rounds at 4-over, shot up the leaderboard and finished in a tie for sixth, eight strokes off the winning score of 215 shot by Santa Clara's Annie Freman, Boise State's Samantha Martin and New Mexico State's Camille Orito.
They sparked Montana to its best round since September and within six of the record 288 the Grizzlies shot at the 2011 Cowgirl Classic. It also matched the tournament's low round, a score only matched by champion New Mexico State.
"In yesterday's first round, the girls got into a little bit of negative reaction and were a little too emotionally attached to their shots, and they gave up some strokes because of it," Stephens said.
"The second round they kind of relaxed and got into a rhythm, so our focus today was to stay confident and committed to what we were doing and to reflect that in the way we walked and talked and acted on the course. It was a thing of beauty to watch."
Of course, two players can't shoot a 294 on their own. Senior Lindsay Reeve (83-76-73--232) shot a 73, and redshirt freshman Alexa Schendelman (78-78-76--232) posted a 76.
Reeve opened with an 83 Monday morning, improved to 76 Monday afternoon, then shot her best round of the year on Tuesday, with two birdies and three bogeys.
"Lindsay has been really, really close," Stephens said. "Because she is such a long hitter, one of the things we've been working on is hitting half and three-quarter swings with her irons from 140 yards and in to make her more accurate. That's made a huge difference.
"She hit some shots throughout the tournament that really stuck close. She didn't make all her putts early on, but by the second round they were starting to fall. She's been right there all spring, and it finally happened for her."
Sophomore Hayley Bingham (82-81-79--242) shot a 79 Tuesday to give Montana five players in the 70s. And that would bump to seven if the two Grizzlies playing as individuals were counted.
Freshman Amanda Kahn (84-76-75--235) played her second strong round in a row with a season-best 75 to finish in a tie for 52nd in the 108-golfer field, and sophomore Phoebe Tan (79-84-76--239) shot a 76.
New Mexico State (297-296-294--887) led the tournament from round one through round three and finished nine strokes ahead of runner-up Santa Clara (298-302-296--896).
The Big Sky Conference championship will be held Sunday, April 20, through Tuesday, April 22, with one round each day, at the Ocotillo Golf Resort in Chandler, Ariz. The Grizzlies won the 2006 title, their first and only in program history, but have not finished in the top three since.
Players Mentioned
