Kansas Women's Golf to Start Season at Chip N Club Invitational on Monday and Tuesday
Sept. 10, 2010
LAWRENCE, Kan.—Senior leaders Grace Thiry and Meghna Bal lead the Kansas women’s golf team into Lincoln, Neb., to kick-off the season at the Chip N Club Invitational Monday and Tuesday, September 13-14. The tournament will take place at the Wilderness Ridge Golf Course (6,214-yard, par 72), with 36 holes on Monday and the final round on Tuesday.
Bal averages 78.03 strokes per contest for her career and looks to improve on her finish of 48th last season at the event.
“It’s nice to start the season off with a familiar golf course,” said Bal. “We just got done with five rounds of qualifying and everyone is showing a lot of promise so this should be a good event.”
Thiry averaged 77 strokes per round last season, just below her career average of 78.09 and tied for 17th at last year’s Chip N Club Invitational.
“We are excited to head to Nebraska on Saturday,” said head coach Erin O’Neil. “It’s a good starting point for us since most of the team has played Wilderness Ridge and we should be relatively comfortable there.”
The Jayhawks will be facing some familiar competition at the event with Big 12 rivals Kansas State and Missouri, which won last year’s event, as part of the 15-team field, as well as tournament host Nebraska, which has won six of the last eight Chip N Club Invitationals. Other schools competing include Akron, Arkansas State, Central Arkansas, Creighton, Iowa, James Madison, North Dakota State, Sacramento State, South Dakota State, Texas State and UTSA.
Joining Bal and Thiry in the Kansas line-up are Jennifer Clark, Katy Nugent and Fhong Boonraksasat. Playing as individuals will be Audrey Yowell and Maria Jackson.
Nugent is competing in her first competition for Kansas after transferring from Arkansas after last season. The junior posted a 77.11 stroke average in two seasons with the Razorbacks.
“Our line-up has a lot of experience in it and I’m optimistic about the fall season,” said O’Neil.
Live stats and updates can be accessed for the entire tournament at golfstat.com.
