Hoosiers optimistic for tournament debut

Despite a slow start to the spring campaign, the Hoosiers will head west to Las Vegas to make their University of Nevada-Las Vegas Spring Invitational debut with not only their golf clubs, but also a positive attitude and optimistic outlook for the tournament.\n"The team's attitude is really good, very positive," said IU coach Clint Wallman. "We've really played fairly well compared to the fall semester." \nThe Hoosiers, led by stroke average leader Molly Redfearn, will tee it up at Black Mountain Golf and Country Club, par 72, for the three-day event with 16 other teams. \nIncluded in the field of 17 are Big Ten rivals No. 24 University of Michigan and No. 27 Purdue University. The field also boasts four teams in the Top 25 nationally: No. 5 Pepperdine University, No. 9 University of Tennessee, No. 19 University of Arizona and No. 22 University of Southern California.\nThe Hoosiers are positive about the upcoming tournament because of the toughness of the first two tournaments of the spring, as well as how hard they've been working in practice.\n"The first two tournaments had really tough fields and tough conditions," said junior Katie Carlson. "But we've really competed well and learned how to stay mentally tough."\nExperience on tougher golf courses will likely pay dividends this week on the Black Mountain course because it should play shorter and be much dryer, senior Bethany Brunner said.\n"The greens will be nicer and roll better, I'm very excited to play this course," Brunner said.\n"The team has taken to the practice course the week leading up to the tournament and worked hard in three key areas; conditioning, the short game and the mental aspect.\n"We've worked very hard in those areas," Wallman said. "The short game suffers coming out of winter, and as far as the mentally, it's just about picking out good strategies on the golf course." \nThe short game work is particularly important, a lot of shots can be saved during a round in putting and chipping, Brunner said.\nThe Hoosiers hope the hard work pays off and leads to improved scores as well as improved team finishes.\n"We try to find the best way to attack the golf course (in practice)," Wallman said. "The girls have been working very hard."\nThe tournament begins at 8 a.m. Monday and continues March 15 and 16 with an 18-hole round each day.\n-- Contact Staff Writer Jake Brown at jab1@indiana.edu.