Griz finish off best tournament of the year

Results

The Montana women's golf team wrapped up its best tournament of the year Tuesday, shooting a final-round 302 at the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic in Maricopa, Ariz., to finish in a tie for 10th in the 19-team field.

The Grizzlies, who entered the tournament with a season scoring average of 316, shot rounds of 308 and 300 on Monday before posting another strong outing on Tuesday at the Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club.

"It was a good way to finish a good tournament," said first-year coach Matt Higgins, whose team will remain in the Phoenix area and play practice rounds at different courses leading up to next week's Bobcat Spring Invitational in Goodyear.

"Overall I'm very satisfied, very happy. We'll continue to work this week and come out next week and try to post even better scores."

Senior Hayley Bingham (74-75-73) and sophomore Hailey Hoagland (79-72-73) both shot a 1-over 73 on Tuesday. Bingham tied for 15th at 6-over, Hoagland tied for23rd at 8-over.

Bingham, who had played her previous four tournament rounds in the 80s, had three birdies for her round, Hoagland had four. Hoagland would have broken her best collegiate round of 72 had it not been for a triple-bogey seven on the 410-yard, par-4 15th, her eighth hole of the day.

Junior Alexa Schendelman (78-79-77) and freshman Baylee Barckley (77-76-79) also shot rounds in the 70s on Tuesday. Montana's 12 scoring rounds for the tournament were all in the 70s.

"The key is how your third and fourth golfers play," said Higgins. "Today we needed that fourth score, and we ended up getting it. It's consistency on the part of everybody. Consistency from everyone is what we're going for."

Idaho, with three rounds of 291, ran away with the tournament and is establishing itself as the heavy favorite for the three-day Big Sky championship later this month. Santa Clara (287-296-298) finished eight strokes back, Washington State (299-299-287) was a dozen behind the Vandals.

Santa Clara's Annie Freman (70-70-67) played her three rounds at 9-under to blow away the rest of the field. Santa Clara's Kristin Le (71-72-71) and Nevada's Celyn Khoo (71-71-73) were the only other players to finish under par.

Montana will play Mesa Country Club on Wednesday, the Silverleaf Club on Thursday and Superstition Mountain on Friday. After a day off on Saturday, the Grizzlies will play a practice round at the Golf Course of Estrella on Sunday in preparation for the Bobcat Spring Invitational next Monday and Tuesday.

The Big Sky Conference championship will be played at the Boulder Creek Golf Course in Boulder City, Nev., April 18-20.

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Players Mentioned

Baylee Barckley

Hayley Bingham

Hailey Hoagland

Alexa Schendelman

University of Montana Athletics