Michigan
Hawkeye Invitational
Records Fall as U-M Finishes Second in Iowa Tourney
4/16/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Site:Â Iowa City, Iowa
Course: Finkbine Golf Course (par 73, 6,012 yards)
Event:Â Hawkeye Invitational (Host University of Iowa)
Michigan Finish:Â 2nd Place of 8 Teams (299-306-319/924)
Top U-M Individual:Â Kim Benedict, 2nd (72-73-81/226)
Next U-M Event:Â Fri-Sun., April 28-30 -- at Big Ten Championships (Madison, Wis.)
IOWA CITY, Iowa -- It was a tale of two different tournament rounds as the University of Michigan women's golf team could not hold on to its first-day lead at the Hawkeye Invitational (April 15-16), as the Wolverines finished second to host Iowa by just two strokes. Despite the drop in final placing, Michigan's performance was one for the books as school, career and season bests were eclipsed all tournament long.
The Wolverines opened up the tournament at the Finkbine Golf Course firing their first-ever tournament round below 300, dating back to records kept since 1986, as the Wolverines shot a 299. They followed that round with a 306 to lead after the first day by one stroke (605) over Northwestern, which fired rounds of 307-299 (606).
In Sunday's final round Michigan dropped its lead, shooting a final-round 319 as Iowa gained seven strokes on Wolverines to finish with a two-stroke victory. The Hawkeyes finished with a 922 tournament total, while the Wolverines totaled a 924.
Despite falling to second, the Wolverines' tournament total was their in five years. The last time Michigan shot better than its Hawkeye Invitational total was when the Wolverines posted a 904 total at the Lady Kat Invitational on Oct. 6-8, 1995.
Freshman Kim Benedict (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS) led the charge for the Wolverines at the Hawkeye Invitational as she had her career-best outing, finishing as the tournament's individual runner-up. After firing back-to-back career-best rounds of 72 and 73, Benedict led the field by two strokes with a one-under-par 145 after the first day of the tournament. A final round of 81 dropped Benedict to second place with a 226 tournament total as she finished a single stroke behind tournament champion Allie Blomquist of Wisconsin (75-80-70/225).
Sophomore Misia Lemanski (Grosse Ile, Mich./Grosse Ile HS) tied for eighth, destroying her career-best three-round tournament total as she finished with a 230 after rounds of 74-73-83. Her previous best was a 257 recorded earlier this season at the Midwest Classic (Feb. 25-27). Sophomore Bess Bowers (Bloomington, Ind./North HS) also fired a career-best three-round total as she finished tied for 11th with a 232 after rounds of 73-83-76. Her previous best was a 233 at the Shootout at the Legends (Oct. 11-12).
Junior Amy Talbot (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas HS) continued the trend, firing a career-best three-round tournament total of 237 after rounds of 80-78-79. Her prior best was a 240 competing as an individual at the Shootout at the Legends (Oct. 11-12).
Sophomore Cortney Reno (Grosse Ile, Mich./Grosse Ile HS) tied for 35th (84-82-86/252) and sophomore Stephanie MacAdams (Lubbock, Texas/Coronado HS) competed as an individual and finished 37th (83-85-85/253).
Michigan will head into the championship portion of its schedule as the Wolverines will have two weeks to prepare for the Big Ten Conference Championship. This year's championship will be held Friday through Sunday, April 28-30, at University Ridge Golf Course in Madison, Wis.
Final Team Standings
1. Iowa 303-307-312 = 922
2. MICHIGAN 299-306-319 = 924
3. Northwestern 307-299-322 = 928
4. Wisconsin 302-318-317 = 937
5. Kent 310-307-323 = 940
6. Northern Iowa 314-325-332 = 970
Iowa State 324-363-334 = 971
8. Notre Dame 329-318-334 = 981
Top Individuals
1. Allie Blomquist, Wisconsin 75-80-70 = 225 2. Kim Benedict, U-M 72-73-81 = 226 3. Cathy Ennis, Iowa State 74-74-80 = 228 4. Jan Dowling, Kent 76-76-77 = 229 Emily Gilley, Northwestern 75-72-82 = 229 Andrea Meeker, Wisconsin 74-75-80 = 229 Kristen Beystehner, Northwestern 79-75-75 = 229
Other Michigan Individuals
T8. Misia Lemanski 74-73-83 = 230 T11. Bess Bowers 73-83-76 = 232 T20. Amy Talbot 80-78-79 = 237 T35. Cortney Reno 84-82-86 = 252 37. Stephanie MacAdams 83-85-85 = 253*
* competed as an individual
Players Mentioned
