The men’s and women’s golf teams started their seasons with a home tournament. Both teams now prepare for a weekend away at invitationals.
The women’s team started out the year with a win. The team collected its first team title here at Marquette Golf Club on Sunday. The team went up against Davenport, Ferris State, Saginaw Valley and Cardinal Stritch.
Juniors Haley Hewer and Avery Rochester both tied for the individual first place prize by shooting a 115. It was the first ever individual first place win by a Northern Michigan Wildcats women’s golfer.
In their second official season in collegiate golf, the team set two records over the weekend. The team shot a new single round record of 312 that broke last year’s single round record at 331. Second, Rochester scored an individual second round of 72, which is now Northern Michigan’s record individual low score.
“Something seemed to click this year. They’ve been working very hard all summer and I’m very proud of them for the way that they played” said interim head coach Robert Bastian.
Upcoming action for the women’s team is this weekend’s Gilda’s Club Laker Fall Invite in Allendale, Michigan.
For the men’s team, they also started off their season with the Wildcat Invitational here in Marquette at the Marquette Golf Club. Two players placed in the top three at the invitational, those players were Austin Elsner and Logan Haight. Elsner finished in the second with a total two round score of 150 (75-75). Haight then tied for third with a final total score of 171.
The team had to deal with some tough conditions during the weekend due to large amounts of rain both days. Overall, the team finished the event in fifth place with a total score of 623.
“It didn’t turn out the way that we’d hope to but in a way it might be a good thing. I think they are getting better at understanding where they need to be instead of where they were at.” Bastian said.
Ferris State took the The Wildcat Invitational title by beating out Cardinal Stritch in a playoff. The next chance for the men’s team is also this weekend at the Great Lakes Midwest Regional in Calumet City, Illinois.
