Weekly Release #2
9/17/2002 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Sat-Sun., Sept. 21-22 -- at Mary Fossum Invitational (East Lansing, Mich.)
Sat-Sun., Sept. 28-29 -- at Lady Northern (Iowa City, Iowa)
Next on the Tee: The Mary Fossum Invitational
The University of Michigan women's golf team will continue its fall season with a trip to East Lansing, Mich., and the Mary Fossum Invitational, Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 21-22) at Forest Akers West Course. The 13-team field features teams from around the Midwest, including five Big Ten members and four Mid-American schools in the annual fall classic. Forest Akers West will be set up for a par 72 and 6,053 yards. Last year, the Fossum Invitational was cancelled due to the national tragedies of Sept. 11.
The Mary Fossum Invitational Field
The Mary Fossum Invitational features 13 teams and will include: Eastern Michigan, Ferris State, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas State, Kent State, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio, Western Michigan and Wisconsin.
The Mary Fossum Invitational Schedule
The Mary Fossum Invitational will consist of 54 holes, 36 of which will be played on Saturday (Sept. 21) followed by 18 on Sunday (Sept. 22).
| Friday, Sept. 20 | Practice Round | Tee times throughout the day |
| Saturday, Sept. 21 | First Round | 9 a.m. (tee times) |
| | Second Round | 1 p.m. (tee times) |
| Sunday, Sept. 22 | Final Round | 9 a.m. (tee times) |
The Mary Fossum Invitational Scoring Format
Scoring for the Mary Fossum Invitational will be five players, count the low four scores each round.
The Michigan Lineup at the Mary Fossum Invitational
The Wolverines will carry six players for the Michigan squad at the Mary Fossum Invitational. Sophomore Laura Olin (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie HS), freshman Amy Schmucker (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori HS) and senior Kim Benedict (Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams HS) will head up Maize and Blue squad heading to East Lansing. The last two spots of the travel squad and one individual participant will be determined during the week's two-day qualifier.
Last Year at the Fossum: National Tragedies Cancel Tournament
Scheduled for Sept. 15-16, the 2001 Mary Fossum Invitational was cancelled due to the national tragedies of Sept. 11 in New York, Washington, D.C., and Pennsylvania. The tournament was not rescheduled.
Last Time on the Links: Minnesotans Lead Wolverines to Second
The Wolverines fired a final-round total of 309 Sunday (Sept. 15) to finish its own Wolverine Invitational in second place. The Maize and Blue's 928 (309-310-309) total for 54 holes was 15 strokes behind Indiana, which finished with a new Invitational record of 913 (304-306-303). Laura Olin and Amy Schmucker led the Wolverine squad as they tied for fourth. Olin carded back-to-back rounds of 77 before a season-best 75 gave her a 229 total. Schmucker came of out the gates with a 75 and followed with a 79. Her second 75 in the final round also put her at 229. Kim Benedict tied for eighth after back-to-back rounds of 77 followed by a final round of 79 for a 233 total.
Other Michigan finishes included: junior/sophomore Courtney Goebel (Huntington Beach, Calif./Marina HS), tied for 15th (80-77-83/240); fifth-year season Stephanie Stasik (Lubbock, Texas/Coronado HS), tied for 23rd (82-85-80/247); and junior Sarah Kruer (La Jolla, Calif./La Jolla Country Day), tied for 38th (85-83-85/253). Competing as individuals were: freshman Brandi Zielinski (Sylvania, Ohio/St. Ursula Academy), tied for 52nd (89-91-83/263), and freshman Lauren Ham (Flushing, Mich./Flushing HS), tied for 56th (83-91-91/265).
Call a Carpenter for Additional Shelving
Dating back to the start of the 2001 spring season, the Maize and Blue has nine team titles in its last 17 regular-season tournaments and nine in the last 22 total tournaments including postseason events. The Wolverines did not finish lower than fourth during the regular season in the 2001-02 season, winning six of 10 tournaments they entered, and continued that mark by starting the 2002-03 season with a runner-up finish at their own Wolverine Invitational.
Returning to Forest Akers
It was almost four months ago when Michigan made history at Michigan State's Forest Akers West Course. It was there the Wolverines made their second straight NCAA Regional appearance and proceeded to finish sixth, earning the program's first trip to the NCAA Championships. Earlier in the season, the Wolverines were scheduled to play in the Fossum Invitational at Forest Akers (Sept. 15-16, 2001) but it was cancelled due to the national tragedies of Sept. 11 and was not rescheduled. The last time the Wolverines played at the Fossum Invitational was two years ago, when they finished fifth in the rain-shortened tournament. Kim Benedict was the runner-up after losing in the medalist playoff.
Impressive Start
Freshman Amy Schmucker went into the Wolverine Invitational looking to learn as much as she could in her first collegiate tournament. After firing a 75 in the first round, followed with a 79 in the second and another 75 in the final round for a 229 total, she finished her first tournament in a tie for fourth place with teammate Laura Olin as the top finishing Wolverine.
Right on Track
Sophomore Laura Olin showed she was ready to continue right where she left off last season as she helped the Wolverines to a second-place team showing by tying for fourth at the Wolverine Invitational after rounds of 77, 77 and 75 for a 229 total. Olin tied teammate Amy Schmucker for top Wolverine honors at the home tournament, giving her just her second career top Wolverine finish. Olin's three rounds of 77 or better now give her eight straight rounds of 77 or better after recording round scores of 74-75-75-76 at the NCAA Championships and a 74 in the final round of the NCAA Central Regional.
Rivals Reunite
Sophomore Laura Olin and freshman Amy Schmucker renewed their rivalry, sort of. The two Minnesotans battled all through their high school playing days and now find themselves on the same team, battling for the top spot on the team. All they did in their first tournament together was tie as the top finishing Wolverines, as they both finished fourth with 229 Wolverine Invitational totals.
Benedict Keeps Going and Going
Senior Kim Benedict made it five straight rounds carding rounds of 79 or better, as she tied for eighth at the Wolverine Invitational with back-to-back rounds of 77 and then a 79 in the final round. She shot 78 in her final two rounds of the NCAA Championships in the spring. Benedict continued another streak with her 38th consecutive tournament at the Wolverine Invitational.
Goob Sets New Bests
Junior/sophomore Courtney Goebel played in just her second career tournament at the Wolverine Invitational and all she did was record a career best for her single-round score ... three times. She fired rounds of 80, 77 and then 83 to surpass her previous best single-round score of 84 carded in the first round of the 2001 Wolverine Invitational. She also established a career best for a 54-hole tournament total with her 240 tally.
A Couple of Firsts
Freshmen Brandi Zielinski and Lauren Ham both competed in their first collegiate tournaments, playing as individuals at the Wolverine Invitational. Zielinski tied for 52nd (89-91-83/263), while Ham tied for 56th (83-91-91/265).
Inside the Numbers
Laura Olin and Courtney Goebel led all players on par-five scoring at the Wolverine Invitational. Olin averaged 4.83 (-2), while Goebel averaged 4.92 (-1).
With eight birdies, Olin was second in total birdies at the Wolverine Invitational, just two behind tournament medalist Karen Dennison (Indiana), who had 10.
Amy Schmucker's six birdies and Goebel's five put them in the top 10 for total birdies at the Wolverine Invitational.
Kim Benedict had the third most pars of the Wolverine Invitational with 34 and had the fourth best average on par-four scoring (4.20).
Michigan was second in total number of birdies (26) and total pars (167) at the Wolverine Invitational.
Michigan led the Wolverine Invitational in par-five scoring with a 5.17 average (+12). Indiana was second at 5.42 (+30).
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
