Hoosiers travel to Franklin for invitational

The women's golf team won't have to go far to compete in the Legends Invitational, which takes place an hour away in Franklin, Ind. With the recent golfer-unfriendly weather conditions, the Hoosiers might wish they were traveling further.\nThe Hoosiers, along with 15 other teams, will be hitting the Legends course beginning at 8 a.m. today. Monday's play will consist of 36 holes with another 18 to be played Tuesday morning. \nIU has competed in the Legends for the last two seasons, placing fourth last year. Eight Big Ten teams, including IU, are making the trip to Franklin, as well as Oklahoma State, which won last year's invite.\nCoach Sam Carmichael's team has had a tough time etching its way into the upper half of Big Ten teams, as sixth and eighth place results in the first two fall tournaments might indicate. But Carmichael, as well as team members, know the scores that conference teams have been posting this fall rank among the best in any conference in the nation.\n"I'm not sure we have played bad so far. I don't think I've ever seen scores in the Big Ten being that low before," said Carmichael. "But with the Legends, we've played there a lot and we'll be ready. The kids are working hard."\nTwo golfers in particular have been scoring well for Carmichael's squad. Senior Natalie Tucker has recorded two top-five individual placings and will be gunning for medalist honors this week in Franklin. Last year at the Legends, Tucker placed third among all competing individuals.\nTucker and her teammates know that the senior is riding a wave of momentum right now. \n"Everybody goes through slumps, but right now (Tucker) is not," said freshman Jenna Finlinson. "Right now she is just playing really well."\nRed-shirt freshman Danah Ford has already made strides early on this season. Ford finished second for the Hoosiers in both fall tournaments, capped off by a 19th place showing at the Mary Fossum Invitational last month in Michigan.\nCarmichael has noticed that the Indianapolis native has been relaxed on the golf course, despite Ford's lack of collegiate experience.\n"I think her nerves are really good, and she has been handling the situation really well," Carmichael said. "She had a good tournament last week in Minnesota."\nThe Hoosiers feel they belong among the top teams in the conference. A strong showing by IU in the Legends could definitely help support that claim.\n"I think we can be up there, and we feel that we can compete any day," said Tucker. "We definitely have the talent"