Griz finish 12th at Desert Classic

Monday, April 8

Golf Club of Estrella; Goodyear, Ariz.

Montana

Bobcat Desert Classic

4/10/2024 4:36:00 PM | Golf

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By: Montana Sports Information

The Montana women's golf team shot a final-round 298 on Wednesday and the Grizzlies finished 12th at the Bobcat Desert Classic in Goodyear, Ariz.

Montana opened with a 288 on Monday to match the program record for a single round, then shot 300 on Tuesday before closing with a 10-over 298 on Wednesday at the Golf Club of Estrella.

"Honestly, I'm more proud of them today than when they shot even par just because when we shot 288, nothing went wrong," said coach Jimmy Mee. "Everybody was fairly solid. It was pretty boring golf.

"Today we didn't get off to a great start with the exception of Hannah (Ports), but everybody really battled in the middle to put themselves in position at the end to have a good round."

Ports was in a position on Wednesday to have not just a good round but a historically great round, playing her first 11 holes at 5-under to put the program record of 68 on the endangered list.

But a 9 on the par-4 5th, a hole that had Mee using the descriptive phrases "burrowing animal hole" and "didn't clear the water," quickly sent Ports back to even for her round.

Maybe her most impressive feat of the day was regrouping and playing the next three holes at even par.

"It was a series of unfortunate events that unfolded on one hole," Mee said. "It goes back to putting yourself in that position to figure out how you're going to deal with it, and she held it together great."

Ports (75-73-74) shot a final-round 74, one off the Wednesday score of Elle Higgins (75-76-73), who had her best round of the tournament at 1-over 73.

Starting her day at No. 13, Higgins played her first nine holes at 4-over before posting four birdies on her next six and closing par-par-par. Ports tied for 36th, Higgins tied for 45th.

Raina Ports (71-74-75) was Montana's top finisher, tying for 26th. Kendall Hayward (70-77-76) tied for 38th, Tricia Joyce (72-77-78) tied for 63rd.

Competing as an individual, Kate Bogenschutz (79-84-76) had her best round of the tournament on Wednesday to finish 94th.

The final round of the Desert Classic wrapped up a long trip to Arizona that began last week with the Wyoming Cowgirl Classic.

"I think all of us were a little bit tired coming down the stretch at the end of an eight-day road trip and (this tournament's) slow pace of play," said Mee.

"We keep learning new lessons each time we play. If we can mellow out and have three consistent rounds at conference, it's going to be pretty fun."

Grand Canyon (281-286-286) won the tournament by three strokes over Seattle (283-283-290). Wyoming, Cal Baptist and Idaho tied for third, 15 strokes behind the second-place Redhawks.

Seattle's Rivekka Jumagulova (66-67-71) was the low scorer at 12-under, finishing four strokes clear of the rest of the field. Twelve golfers finished the tournament under par.

Montana will return home Wednesday night, get two days in Missoula, then return to Arizona on Saturday in time for Sunday's practice round of the Big Sky Conference Championship.

The three-day tournament will be played Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park.