Women's golf hosts 1st Big Ten tourney since '96

Friday will mark a bit of history for the IU women's golf team. For the first time since 1996, the Big Ten Women's Golf Championships will find their way to the IU Golf Course. \nThe Hoosiers are coming off a 5th place finish at the Lady Illini Spring Invitational on April 15th, a tournament in which they finished just 10 shots off the leader. Last weekend, the squad placed 13th in the Lady Buckeye Invitational. \nEven in the fall, the Big Ten Championships was something the women were talking about.\n"We're real excited for the Big Ten's," said senior Katie Carlson said at the time. "It's a big advantage to have it at your home course."\nThe Hoosiers are no stranger to playing at home against this competition. In the fall, IU hosted the Lady Northern Invitational. In the tournament, the Hoosiers finished 6th on a rainy day that worked to take away the squad's home course advantage. \nIU coach Clint Wallman knows the importance of hosting the event. \n"I think we are a solid Big Ten team and showed we can compete (at the Lady Buckeye)," Wallman said after the tournament. "We are looking forward to hosting the Big Ten Championships on our home course."\nThe Hoosiers will be led into the tournament by senior Shannon Johnson, who has twice garnered the Big Ten Golfer of the Week award. \nA big hindrance for Johnson and the rest of the Hoosiers is that the weather looks much like it did at the Lady Northern Invitational. The current forecast has showers for Saturday and Sunday.\nSophomore Elaine Harris has been on cue lately. \n"She's been improving with every round," said coach Wallman after Harris carded a season low 228 at the UNLV Spring Invitational. \nHarris, Carlson and Johnson will be joined by freshman Amber Lindgren and junior Jenny Kim. \nThe action gets off to an early start on Friday as all five Hoosiers tee off before 10:30.