Luo Takes Third Individually at Mary Fossum Invitational

Sunday, September 16

East Lansing, Mich.

8:30 AM

Michigan

Mary Fossum Invitational

Luo Takes Third Individually at Mary Fossum Invitational

9/16/2012 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf

Sept. 16, 2012

Site: East Lansing, Mich.
Course: Forest Akers West Course (par 72, 6,237 yards)
Tournament: Mary Fossum Invitational
U-M Team Standing: 10th Place of 17 Teams (312-307-314/933)
Top U-M Individual: Linda Luo, 3rd (75-73-70/218 +2)
Next U-M Event: Sat-Sun., Sept. 22-23 -- host Wolverine Invitational (U-M Golf Course), 8 a.m. (shotgun)

EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Led by sophomore Linda Luo's (Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch HS) third-place individual finish, the University of Michigan women's golf team opened its regular season posting a 933 team total giving the Wolverines a 10th-place finish today (Sunday, Sept. 16) at MSU's Mary Fossum Invitational at Forest Akers West Course.

Michigan opened its 2012-13 regular season tallying a 312 in Saturday's first round (Sept. 15) and dropped five shots in the second 18 holes of the day to close tied for ninth at 619. Despite Luo's final-round, two-under 70, the Wolverines closed with a 314, giving them a 933 total and 10th-place team finish.

The weekend belonged to Luo as she led the Wolverines on each day with round scores of three-over 75, one-over 73 and a final-round, two-under 70 as she finished third with a two-over 218 total. It marked the second top-three finish of her career.

Rounding out U-M's top three were junior captain Yugene Lee (Athens, Ga./Oconee County HS) and sophomore Lauren Grogan (Columbus, Ohio/Bishop Watterson HS) as they each tied for 54th at 238. Lee closed with rounds of 79, 76 and 83, while Grogan posted scores of 76, 78 and 84.

In her first start since the fall of 2011, sophomore Devon Compton (Rochester Hills, Mich./Stoney Creek HS) tied for 64th at 241 (82-80-79), while junior Alicia Weber (Northville, Mich./Northville HS) made her Michigan debut tying for 81st at 248 (83-83-82). Freshman Catherine Peters (Clarence, N.Y./Clarence HS) played as an individual in her first collegiate event and tied for 39th at 235 (76-79-80).

The Wolverines will waste no time getting back to tournament play as they host the Wolverines Invitational next Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 22-23) at the U-M Golf Course. The 54-hole tournament will feature 36 holes on Saturday and a final 18 on Sunday. Both days are scheduled to begin with 8 a.m. shotgun starts.

Final Team Standings

 1. Purdue             288-290-297 = 875 2. Michigan State     297-289-296 = 882 3. Notre Dame         298-290-299 = 887 4. Texas State        300-303-297 = 900 5. Miami              300-307-303 = 910 6. Wisconsin          309-308-303 = 920 7. Minnesota          303-306-312 = 921 8. Kent State         316-297-315 = 928 9. Eastern Michigan   311-309-311 = 93110. MICHIGAN           312-307-314 = 93311. Michigan State B   322-305-308 = 93512. Toledo             313-308-319 = 94013. Bowling Green      311-311-320 = 94214. Louisiana Monroe   311-317-319 = 94715. Oakland            318-315-324 = 95716. Western Michigan   324-316-326 = 96617. Ferris State       323-328-330 = 981

Top Individuals

 1. Krista Puisite, Texas State       71-71-73 = 215 (-1) 2. Caroline Powers, Michigan State   73-71-73 = 217 3. LINDA LUO, U-M                    75-73-70 = 218 4. Paula Reto, Purdue                69-73-77 = 219    Margaux Vanmol, Purdue            74-72-73 = 219 6. Laura Gonzalez, Purdue            74-75-71 = 220    Lindsey Weaver, Notre Dame        75-70-75 = 220 8. Kishi Sinha, Purdue               71-71-79 = 221 9. Christine Meier, Michigan State   74-75-73 = 222    Kelli Oride, Notre Dame           77-70-75 = 222

Other Michigan Individuals

T54. Yugene Lee         79-76-83 = 238T54. Lauren Grogan      76-78-84 = 238T64. Devon Compton      82-80-79 = 241T81. Alicia Weber       83-83-82 = 248T39. Catherine Peters   76-79-80 = 235* * played as individual

N O T E S

• For the sixth straight season, Michigan opened its tournament regular season at the Mary Fossum Invitational.

• Linda Luo's 218 at the Mary Fossum Invitational is the second-best 54-hole tournament total of her career and marked just the second time she finished below 220 in an event. Luo's career best is a 213 at the 2011 Challenge at Onion Creek.

• Linda Luo's final-round, two-under 70 marks the second time she has recorded a sub-par round in her career. She posted a career-best one-under 69 in the first round of the 2011 Challenge at Onion Creek.

• After posting a 235 to tie for 30th in her first collegiate tournament last year at the Mary Fossum Invitational, Linda Luo lowered her personal best at Forest Akers by 17 strokes with her 218 this season, giving her a third-place finish.

• Alicia Weber, a transfer from Cal Poly, and Catherine Peters, a freshman, each made her Wolverine debut. After starting 15 events at Cal Poly, Weber made her first career start as a Wolverine and tied for 81st. Peters finished second among the invited individuals after tying for 39th.

Q U O T E S

Michigan Head Coach Cheryl Stacy
On the Mary Fossum Invitational ... "It was a little disappointing because our goals were to finish much higher than we did. We got off to just such a rough start and we never really recovered. The greens were pretty tricky. They were a little bit quicker than the practice round and we just didn't adjust the way we could have. Some of the girls seemed a little rusty, but we need to keep focused after a mistake. We need to just keep working on the mental aspect of the game."

On the play of Linda Luo ... "Linda hit the ball great (all weekend). She hit the ball from tee to green as well as anyone in the field. She was able to adjust really well to the greens and the changing speeds. If she would have made of few of the birdies she left out there she would have shot really, really low. She just was patient and it was great to see her start the season this way."

On looking ahead to the Wolverine Invitational ... "We are looking forward to next weekend and hosting our tournament. It is always great to showcase our home course. We have set our goals. The girl's know exactly what they need to work and focus on and they are pumped up."

Contact: Tom Wywrot (724) 763-4423