Grizzlies tie for 13th at spring opener

Thursday, March 9

Sunbrook Golf Club; St. George, Utah

Montana

Lady Thunderbird Invitational

3/11/2023 3:37:00 PM | Golf

Results

By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana women's golf team closed the Lady Thunderbird Invitational with a 313 on Saturday as the Grizzlies wrapped up their spring opener at the Sunbrook Golf Course in St. George, Utah.

Montana tied for 13th out of 16 teams in its first of four spring tournaments leading up to next month's Big Sky Conference Championship.

The Grizzlies will return to action next weekend at the Red Rocks Invitational in Sedona, Ariz.

"I'm really encouraged," said coach Kris Nord, whose team shot rounds of 311, 310 and 313 in St. George. It was Montana's best 54-hole spring opener since 2018.

"We're not going to sit back and use being from Montana and not being on turf as an excuse. We want to hit the ground running and go perform. That's the goal going to Sedona next week."

The Grizzlies were led by senior Tricia Joyce (77-72-76), who was Montana's top finisher for the first time since the Battle at Old Works in the fall of 2021. She finished 21st overall.

"She deserves it. She's worked hard. She had some hiccups today that typically would have thrown her off track and she just hung in there and finished her last five holes at 1-under," said Nord.

"She had all-in-all a great tournament. It was good to see."

Jessica Ponce (78-81-77) tied for 63rd, Madison Cecil (78-78-81) finished 70th and Kylie Franklin (78-79-82) and Raina Ports (79-81-79) tied for 72nd.

Ponce led Montana with 37 pars, just five off the tournament lead, but was the lone Grizzly to go 54 holes without a birdie.

"Jess hit the ball pretty darn well all three days. She just couldn't make many putts," said Nord, who watched two of his golfers start their final day with a double bogey.

"Really rough start for a couple of our kids, starting out with some big numbers, so it was a matter of playing hole by hole and hanging on," said Nord.

"We're grinding better but we have to not have big holes. We've got to eliminate doubles and triples. That will be the focus."

Wyoming (290-302-293) and California Baptist (296-297-292) tied for the team lead, with Boise State (293-303-291) two strokes back.

Cal Baptist's Samantha Dizon (74-67-71) finished 4-under, the lone golfer to play 54 holes under par.