Women finish in last place at Big Ten Championships

In addition to competing against opponents, golfers are fighting the challenging courses. The Donald Ross course at the French Lick Resort presented a difficult test for the IU women’s golf team at the Big Ten Women’s Golf Championship.

The Hoosiers struggled to post three low scores, sticking to their 12th-place spot throughout the 54-hole stroke play event. Michigan State won the conference tournament with an 885 tournament total, and the IU squad posted a 944.

After the first round, IU Coach Clint Wallman said the team faced trouble on the golf course due to windy conditions.

“But the beauty of golf is one day you can have your worst round of the year and follow it up with your best round of the year,” Wallman said after round one. “Our focus tomorrow is to get out there and take the positives from today and try to get some early momentum. I think that will be the key to us playing better.”

From the first to second round, the Hoosiers dropped 23 strokes, with senior Co-Captain Kristtini Cain and junior Pamela Burneski carding the low rounds for the squad. Cain and Burneski posted 77s, but the squad remained in 12th place.  

“Some positives we can take away are just keep to our game plan and give ourselves multiple opportunities to make birdies,” Wallman said after the second round Saturday.

Burneski was able to keep her momentum moving into the final round, tallying three birdies on the day en route to a three-over-par 75. She placed as one of the top finishers for the squad and tied for 40th alongside freshman Elizabeth Tong.

Tong also placed 40th with rounds of 81-79-76, leading the Hoosiers in all three rounds of play.

Junior Rosie Davies recorded three strokes back of Tong and took her place tied for 53rd. Continuing to drop scores throughout the tournament, junior Co-Captain Kate Coons went from an 83 in the second round to a 73 in the final run. Despite six bogies in the final round, Coons made up for the deficit with five birdies to finish one-over-par and tie for 57th.

Rounding out the squad, Cain tied for 59th and freshman Kamryn Klawitter tied for 67th.

The squad’s 2011-12 season ended with play at the conference tournament, with the Hoosiers marking two wins on the schedule.

As Wallman said before the event, the squad plays as individuals but all work toward the same team goal.

“While they’re different people, they are geared toward representing IU the best it can be,” Wallman said.