Drive for the Championship

The IU women's golf team will compete in the sixth tournament of the spring season as the team travels to Iowa City, Iowa to compete in the Big Ten Championships. Since 1984, the Hoosiers are the only team in the Big Ten to place among the top three on 16 occasions. \nThe last time IU won the Big Ten Championship was in 1998, but the Hoosiers, ranked No. 32 by GolfWeek magazine, have fared well on Iowa's course in recent competitions there. Earlier this year, the team placed second at the Lady Northern Invitational and four of the Hoosiers golfers placed in top 15 in the event, led by junior Karen Dennison's second place finish. \n"We have always played well at Iowa," junior Ambry Bishop said. "The greens are similar to the greens at IU so I think that is helpful. We play at Iowa every year so I think that will be beneficial to our team."\nThe event will be held today through Sunday, and will feature all 11 teams in the conference: Illinois, IU, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, and Wisconsin.The Hoosiers will be looking to tie Ohio State for a conference record eighth title with a victory this weekend. \n"The Big Ten Championships is what we have prepared for all year long," coach Sam Carmichael said. "Traditionally, we have scored pretty well on Iowa's course, but this is a whole different type of pressure. We've had a couple of disappointing tournaments in the last month. We'll need to come in and challenge for the title right away."\nPlay will begin in the 72-hole tournament today with a tee-time start beginning at 8 a.m. for 36 holes of play. Play will begin at 9 a.m. Saturday. The tournament will conclude on Sunday, with the final 18 holes at 8 a.m.\nCompeting for IU will be senior Cara Stuckey, juniors Bishop, Dennison, Danah Ford and Mary Lidester and freshman Molly Redfearn.\nLast year the Hoosiers failed to win a single tournament, yet this year the squad has been able to win three team titles and has placed lower than fourth only once. The team entered this year expecting to improve on last season's performance and competing well in the Big Ten Championships would go a long way in atoning for last season's championship drought.\n"We're just all playing well right now. Winning the Big Ten Championship is by far our biggest goal, and we're doing everything we can to reach it," Dennison said. \nThe team's focus going into the biggest tournament of the season so far, is no different than any other tournament according to Bishop.\n"You have to prepare for this tournament just like any other," she said. "It is still just golf, with a different title for the tournament. The greens and fairways are the same, so you just have to remember that when you go out and play"