Griz golfers open spring schedule on Sunday

The Montana women's golf team, which last competed on Oct. 12, will open its six-tournament spring schedule on Sunday when it faces North Dakota State in a match-play event in California.

The Grizzlies and Bison will go head-to-head on the Jones Course at the Rancho La Quinta Club in Palm Springs. Sunday's forecast: 82 degrees and sunny.

"Everybody's going, everybody gets to hit off grass, everybody gets to chip and putt," said coach Kris Nord, whose team is getting practice rounds on Friday and Saturday at courses in the area.

"We'll get 54 holes at a time we normally don't get that. We're grateful to be out playing, and for everybody to go on this trip is great. I'm excited about it. We'll get a barometer of where we are."

The top five players from both teams will compete in match play, which will provide the winner and the loser as far as the official results go.

But everybody will get paired up, even those outside the top five. Beyond that, the scoring format will have a tweak that will ensure everyone gets 18 holes of competitive golf on Sunday.

Once a match is decided and the point awarded, the twosome will finish out the remaining holes with another half a point on the line.

Nord won't know his top five until his team's two practice rounds on Friday and Saturday are complete.

"Let's put some pressure on them and see who thrives and who doesn't under the pressure of making a lineup and the travel parties for the next two months," he said.

"We'll get an idea of where everybody is instead of trying to base everything off October. We have to go down there and be quick learners on the desert greens."

Montana played a four-tournament schedule in the fall, highlighted by its victory at the Battle at Old Works in Anaconda, the team's first tournament title since 2013.

Montana followed that with another victory at the Griz Invitational at the Missoula Country Club.

Allison Sobol (77.4) and Kylie Esh (77.6) both had fall scoring averages better than 78. Jessica Ponce (78.0), Tricia Joyce (79.3) and Meredith Boos (79.4) all averaged better than 80.

Joyce finished second at Old Works. Ponce tied for first at the Griz Invitational.

"We have more depth. We have kids outside the top five that could be in the top five if they get it going just a little bit better," said Nord. "I couldn't say that the year before.

"I loved the way the kids competed in the fall. I was happy with everybody's play. Everybody got better. The goal is to get a little better each week, each month, and I feel like we're going in that direction."

Sunday's event means Montana will get six opportunities to compete this spring, the most the Grizzlies have had since 2018.

"It's a lot of golf and a lot of travel. I don't think the kids can say they are not getting the number of competitions in. Six trips for us is a busy spring," added Nord.

Montana will travel to St. George, Utah, next month, then get three pre-Big Sky tournaments in Arizona, which is where the conference championship will be in April, at Talking Stick Golf Club in Scottsdale.

Montana will compete at the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic at Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa and the Bobcat Spring Invitational at the Golf Club of Estrella in Goodyear prior to the Big Sky Championship.

"I like our schedule. We'll get a chance to see courses similar to Talking Stick. Goodyear and Maricopa are very similar," Nord said.

The Big Sky Championship will take place Monday through Wednesday, April 18-20. Montana placed ninth last spring and hasn't cracked the top five since 2015.

The Grizzlies were picked 11th out of 11 teams in the Big Sky preseason coaches' poll.

"I believe we have three or four kids at the top and some new faces who, if they play well, we can definitely challenge to get in the mix of the top three," said Nord.

"There were a number of tournaments where we're as good as anybody for 18 holes. We just have to be more consistent."

Next up for Montana after Sunday's match play will be the Lady Thunderbird Invitational at Sunbrook Golf Club in St. George, Utah. The Grizzlies will be playing in the event for the fourth straight year.

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Players Mentioned

Meredith Boos

Kylie Esh

Tricia Joyce

Jessica Ponce

Allison Sobol

University of Montana Athletics