Griz persevere on tough day, course

The Montana women's golf team opened the Big O Classic on Monday with rounds of 321 and 311 at Oak Hills Country Club in Omaha, Neb.

The Grizzlies played to an average of 298.3 last week at the Big Sky Conference 54 for IX event in Utah. They faced a more challenging course in Omaha on a day when the winds blew a consistent 20 miles per hour.

The 12 competing teams played just one of their 24 rounds on Monday below 300. Just one-third of the rounds (eight of 24) were sub-310.

"This is the hardest course we'll play all year by far," said assistant coach Jim Mee. "It's a grind out there. You can get on a bogey train real quick.

"We were a little shell-shocked, I think, to come out and play a very hard course in the wind. I think we got a little intimidated by it."

After playing just one round in the 70s on the first 18, Tricia Joyce's 79, Montana had four rounds in the 70s on the second.

"In the second round, they kind of knew what to expect and did a good job of settling in and kind of embracing the toughness instead of backing down," said Mee.

Only one player on Monday -- Idaho State's Lexi Wilson -- had more birdies than Montana's Raina Ports, who had eight. Six of those came in the opening round, when she shot an 80.

She had two birdies for her second round but was one stroke better at 79.

"Raina made a ton of birdies. Tomorrow, if she can get rid of some of the semi-blowup moments, she could put up a really good round," said Mee.

"Everyone will know what they are in for tomorrow. Hopefully we'll see some good improvement."

Freshman Elle Higgins, who carded rounds of 73, 73 and 70 in Utah last week, opened with an 83, then improved six strokes in the second round, carding a 77 to match the low round by a Grizzly on the day.

"It was a good bounce-back," said Mee. "She's not feeling real great, so she did a good job of sticking it out. She did a good job making the best out of the situation."

Kendall Hayward (81-77), who had four birdies in her second round, also shot a 77. She is tied for 26th at 12-over, one stroke behind Joyce (79-78), who is tied for 22nd.

Joyce had a 10-hole stretch in her second round when she played the course at 1-under. She played her final two holes of the day at 3-over.

"Kendall did a good job of battling. (Tricia) did a good job of battling the middle of the second round. She didn't have the finish she wanted but did a good job of holding it together," said Mee.

Ports (80-79) is tied for 31st, Higgins (83-77) is tied for 36th, Hannah Ports (81-84) is tied for 51st in the 69-golfer field.

St. Thomas (298-301) will take an 11-stroke lead over South Dakota State (307-303) into Tuesday's final round. Northern Colorado (315-304) is in third.

St. Thomas's Niki Reineke (72-75) and Kathryn VanArragon (73-76) top the individual leaderboard.

University of Montana Athletics

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Players Mentioned

Kendall Hayward

Elle Higgins

Tricia Joyce

Hannah Ports

Raina Ports

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