Griz end Big Sky Championship in seventh place

The Montana women's golf team shot a final-round 301 to drop to seventh place in the final team standings as the Big Sky Conference Championship wrapped up Wednesday at Wigwam Golf Club in Litchfield Park, Ariz.

The Grizzlies were in third place through 18 holes, in fifth place after 36.

The seventh-place finish matches Montana's position last year and matches the best finish for the program since the Grizzlies placed fifth in 2015. The team's three-round total of 895 is the second-best in program history at the Championship, only behind last year's 889.

Junior Raina Ports (70-76-74), playing in her third Championship, had her best career finish at the event, tying for 14th, two strokes from a top-10 finish.

Elle Higgins (71-72-81), who tied for 21st, and Kate Bogenschutz (76-74-75), who tied for 24th, gave Montana three golfers in the top 25. Bogenschutz, a sophomore, was competing at the Championship for the first time.

Freshman Bella Johnson (78-77-71) had the team's best final-round score of even-par 71 to move up to a tie for 27th. Hannah Ports (82-81-81) finished 43rd.

Johnson's 71 was a season-best score by three strokes. Bogenschutz played her first collegiate 54-hole tournament with three scores in the 70s, her total score of 225 a 54-hole collegiate best by eight strokes.

"Even though it didn't go the way we wanted it to go, it was great to see some underclassmen who have never been here before really take advantage of the opportunity and show their true colors," said Mee.

Sacramento State (282-285-286) won its third consecutive Big Sky title by 15 strokes over runner-up Weber State (301-286-281), which had Wednesday's best round to move up and finish one stroke better than third-place Montana State (287-290-292).

Northern Arizona (297-285-289) and Idaho (298-301-288) rounded out the top five.

Montana State's Maddie Montoya (70-70-69) won the tournament at 4-under, playing her final five holes Wednesday at 3-under to move up and finish one stroke better than Sacramento State's Caitlin Maurice (71-68-71).

Raina Ports began the day in 12th and was attempting to give Montana its first top-10 finish since Jessica Ponce tied for sixth in 2022.

She had two birdies over the opening five holes, giving her six for the tournament, but couldn't generate any more on Wednesday, playing the final 12 holes at 3-over. "Raina didn't have her best stuff but she did a good job of hanging in there," said Mee.

It was Johnson who had the team's best round on Wednesday, balancing out three bogeys with three birdies. Everything else was played at par as she shot a 71.

"It was great to see how she went out and competed today," said Mee of Johnson. "She hasn't really even scratched the potential of how consistent she could be once we tighten up a few other things."

Going back to last week's Bobcat Desert Classic, Bogenschutz ended the season playing five of her final six rounds at 77 or better.

She was 3-over through two holes on Wednesday, 5-over through eight before posting three birdies on the back nine. Her nine birdies for the Championship were two more than any other Montana golfer carded.

"Kate responded well. She didn't get off to the best start but that didn't derail her," said Mee. "She brought it back.

"We thought a couple weeks ago that Kate was turning a corner and she did. It's a whole different mindset. She was nervous but nerves aren't a bad thing as long as you can still think clearly. When things went sideways, she found a way to keep it together and post a score that really helped us."

University of Montana Athletics

Related News

Players Mentioned

Kate Bogenschutz

Elle Higgins

Bella Johnson

Hannah Ports

Raina Ports

Related News

Related Videos