Jayhawks look to build on momentum in New Mexico
Oct. 12, 2007
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas heads south to Las Cruces, N.M., Monday, where the women’s golf team will compete at Price’s “Give `Em Five Invitational, Oct. 15-17. The Jayhawks will look to build on the success of their last tournament where they claimed top honors at the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational.
Last season, tournament host New Mexico State claimed the tournament crown with a total of 890, just six strokes ahead of Big 12 runner-up, Baylor. Kansas finished in 14th place out of a 17-team field, combining for a total score of 933 (313-313-307). Returning to the lineup from last year’s event are Kansas senior Annie Giangrosso and sophomores Emily Powers and Meghan Gockel, who will be joined by freshmen Meghna Bal and Grace Thiry.
Powers leads the team with a 74.4 scoring average and has posted top-1o finishes in two tournaments this year, tying for 10th at the Chip-N Club Invitational and tying for seventh at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate. Giangrosso owns a 75.67 average, while Gockel is at 78.5 through three events. In their debut season, Meghna Bal and Grace Thiry boast averages of 76.6 and 77.3, respectively.
The 54-hole tournament will take place at the New Mexico State University Golf Course, with players completing 18 holes each day. The course is 6,319 yards and plays to a par of 72. In addition to Kansas, Baylor, Missouri and Oklahoma round out the Big 12 Conference showing. The remainder of the 16-team field includes UC-Davis, Gonzaga, Idaho, UTEP, North Texas, Texas State, Oral Roberts, North Carolina State, South Alabama, Samford, Michigan and New Mexico State.
“NMSU’s golf course should be a good fit for us and we will be competing against a strong field,” head coach Erin O’Neil said. “Hopefully we can continue to build on the momentum from the Marilynn Smith.”
The Jayhawks last competed, Oct. 1-2, at the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational in Manhattan, Kan. Kansas took first place with 600 strokes, after the inclement weather shortened the tournament to a two-round 36-hole event. Sophomore Camilla Svennson highlighted her season debut as KU’s top finisher, tying for fourth at three-over par.
For complete results at the end of each day, please visit www.kuathletics.com.
