Michigan
Big Ten Championships
This Week in Michigan Women's Golf: Big Ten Championships
4/17/2019 8:47:00 PM | Women's Golf
» Michigan opens postseason play the Big Ten Championships in Maineville, Ohio. It is the third straight year the conference tournament will be played at the TPC River's Bend.
» Last year, U-M posted a seventh-place finish at the championships with an 883 team total.
» Senior Elodie Van Dievoet will make her fourth straight appearances at the Big Ten Championships becoming the 29th Wolverines to do so. She won U-M's only Big Ten crown at the 2017 at the TPC with a 210 (-6) tally.
» Freshman Ashley Lau continues to lead U-M with a 74.19 scoring average. She also has led U-M in the last three events and four times this season.
THIS WEEK
Fri-Sun., April 19-21 -- Big Ten Championships (Maineville, Ohio)
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Next on the Tee: Big Ten Championships
The University of Michigan women's golf team will shift its focus towards the postseason as the Wolverines travel to Maineville, Ohio, Friday through Sunday (April 19-21) for the 54-hole Big Ten Championships. For the eighth straight year, the conference tournament will be held at a neutral site as this year's event once again will be held at TPC River's Bend. The Big Ten Tournament will be played in a 6-count-4 format with the River's Bend being set up for a par of 72 at 6,357 yards.
The Big Ten Championships Field
All 14 conference schools will participate in the 2019 Big Ten Championships. The seeding (1-14) with GolfStat relative rankings are: No. 1 Northwestern (16), No. 2 Michigan State (19), No. 3 Illinois (30), No. 4 Purdue (33), No. 5 Penn State (49), No. 6 Maryland (50), No. 7 Indiana (56), No. 8 Ohio State (57), No. 9 Michigan (69), No. 10 Rutgers (83), No. 11 Nebraska (88), No. 12 Wisconsin (90), No. 13 Minnesota (108) and No. 14 Iowa (126).
The Big Ten Championships Schedule
Thursday, April 18 -- Practice Round (18), TBD
Thursday, April 18 -- B1G Championship Banquet 6:45 p.m.
Friday, April 19 -- First Round (18), tee times off No. 1, 8:30 a.m.
Saturday, April 20 -- Second Round (18), tee times off No. and No. 10, 8:30 a.m.
Sunday, April 21 -- Final Round (18), tee times off No. 1 and No. 10, 8 a.m.
The Big Ten Championships
First Day Pairings
Tee #1 (8:30 a.m.) -- #7 Indiana, #8 Ohio State, #9 Michigan
Tee #1 (9:24 a.m.) --#4 Purdue, #5 Penn State, #6 Maryland
Tee #1 (10:18 a.m.) -- #1 Northwestern, #2 Michigan State, #3 Illinois
Tee #10 (8:57 a.m.) -- #12 Wisconsin, #13 Minnesota, #14 Iowa
Tee #10 (9:33 a.m.) -- #10 Rutgers, #11 Nebraska
Second Day Pairings
Tee #1 (8:30 a.m.) -- #7 Team, #8 Team, #9 Team
Tee #1 (9:24 a.m.) --#4 Team, #5 Team, #6 Team
Tee #1 (10:18 a.m.) -- #1 Team, #2 Team, #3 Team
Tee #10 (8:57 a.m.) -- #12 Team, #13 Team, #14 Team
Tee #10 (9:33 a.m.) -- #10 Team, #11 Team
Final Day Pairings
Tee #1 (8:00 a.m.) -- #7 Team, #8 Team, #9 Team
Tee #1 (8:54 a.m.) --#4 Team, #5 Team, #6 Team
Tee #1 (9:48 a.m.) -- #1 Team, #2 Team, #3 Team
Tee #10 (8:27 a.m.) -- #12 Team, #13 Team, #14 Team
Tee #10 (9:03 a.m.) -- #10 Team, #11 Team
The Big Ten Championships Lineup
Michigan will bring six starters to the Big Ten Championships. Traveling to Maineville, Ohio, will be freshman Ashley Lau, sophomore Ashley Kim, junior Hannah Ghelfi, junior Alisa Snyder, senior Elodie Van Dievoet and freshman Sophia Trombetta.
Big Ten Championships Experience
• Elodie Van Dievoet -- fourth: 2016 (t-47th; 224), 217 (1st; 210, -6), 2018 (t-19th; 218)
• Alisa Snyder -- third: 2017 (24th; 227), 2018 (t-43rd; 226)
• Hannah Ghelfi -- second: 2018 (t-65th; 233)
• Ashley Kim -- second: 2018 (t-43rd; 226)
• Ashley Lau -- first
• Sophia Trombetta -- first
Michigan at the Big Ten Championships
Michigan has 10 top-five finishes at the Big Ten Championships including a runner-up finish in 2005 and a third place finish in 2002. Last year, Elodie Van Dievoet won the program's first medalist honor with a 210 (-6) tally. Prior to her performance, the Wolverines have had three individuals finish as the runner-up -- LeAnna Wicks (2002, t-2nd), Ashley Bauer (2010, 283) and Yugene Lee (2012, 2nd).
Looking at the 2018 Big Ten Championships
Michigan closed with a 295 final-round team tally to finish seventh at the Big Ten Championships with an 883 (298-290-295) 54-hole total. Former Wolverine Kathy Lim (71-73-74) and Elodie Van Dievoet (74-72-72) led the Wolverines as they tied for 19th with 218 championships totals -- a season-low for Lim. Ashley Kim (76-74-76/226) and Hannah Ghelfi (82-74-77/233) competed in their first Big Ten postseason tournament, tying for 43rd and 65th, respectively. [ Recap ]
Michigan at the TPC River's Bend
The Big Ten is hosting its third straight conference championship at the TPC River's Bend in Maineville, Ohio. The Wolverines posted a fifth-place finish in 2017 and followed closing seventh in 2018. U-M's best 54-hole tally at the TPC was an 883 last year, after the Maize and Blue recorded its lowest team tally with a 290 in the second round. The Wolverines have produced eight sub-par rounds over the last two conference events paced by Elodie Van Dievoet's 69 (-3) in the first round of the 2017 championships.
Wolverine Bites
• In a battle for the scoring lead, freshman Ashley Lau has taken the lead with a 74.19 round average. She is 14 shots ahead of sophomore Ashley Kim's 74.73 per-round average. Combined together, the two U-M Ashleys have posted nine of U-M's 14 sub-par rounds. They remain as the only Wolverines averaging below 75 per round.
• Michigan's "Ashley Duo" of sophomore Ashley Kim and freshman Ashley Lau have become a 1-2 punch for the Wolverines. They have finished as the top two Wolverines in four events, with Lau finishing as the top Wolverine in four events while Kim has two. Both have started all 10 events, and they have had 47.5 of 52 rounds count for U-M.
• Ashley Lau has continued to show consistent scoring and has fired a career-best 71 (-1) three times this season -- Westbrook Spring Invitational (third), Landfall Tradition (first) and East & West Stroke Play qualifying (second). In 26 rounds this season she has only one above 76 -- a 79 in the second round of the Wildcat Invitational. She leads U-M with a 74.19 per-round average.
• Ashley Kim opened the spring season in grand fashion with a career-best performance at the Moon Golf Invitational (Feb. 18-19). She carded three straight sub-par rounds -- 71 (-1), 71 (-1) and a season-best 69 (-3) -- for a 211 (-5) total that was a new career best by seven shots, and she recorded her first career top-five finish. It was also the best finish for a Wolverines in over a season and a half and she was named the Big Ten co-Golfer of the Week after the feat -- the first such honor of her career and first for a Wolverine since Oct. 4, 2017 (Van Dievoet).
• Using a career-best 70 (-2), Hannah Ghelfi had a career-best performance in her last outing -- the Westbrook Spring Invitational (Feb. 24-25). Adding in her second sub-par round of 71 (-1) in the first round, she posted a 215 (-1) tournament total to lead U-M and notch her first career top-20 finish -- tying for 19th and lowering her previous best 54-hole tournament total by seven strokes. She is averaging a career-best 76.35 strokes per round this season.
• Using five birdies and 11 pars, Alisa Snyder broke the 70-stroke barrier for the first time at the Westbrook Spring Invitational (Feb. 24-25) firing a three-under 69 in the second round. She also set a new career low after topping the 70 she had in the final round of the 2017 Big Ten Championships (April 21-23) as a freshman. With her performance she lowered her season average to 75.07 per round -- on a career-best pace by more than a shot.
• Hannah Ghelfi's career-best 215 (-1) tally and three 217s from Alisa Snyder, Ashley Kim and Ashley Lau helped the Wolverines close the Westbrook Spring Invitational with an 861 (-3) tournament total -- which is the second lowest in program history and is the second 54-hole event ever below par. The U-M record is an 835 (-29) total at the Las Vegas Showdown (Oct. 25-27, 2015).
Summer Offers Unique Opportunity for Dowling
• After serving as an assistant coach this past summer, U-M head coach Jan Dowling was named the Team International women's head coach for the 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup at the Alotian Club in Roland, Arkansas.
• A Ryder Cup-style tournament co-founded by Arnold Palmer and the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA), the event features the top university/college golfers and matches the United States against an International team.
• The 2019 event, to be played June 7-9, will mark the second time the event will be played under the expanded format to include men's and women's USA collegiate golfers, making it the only major tournament to feature men and women playing side by side as partners.
Inside the Maize and Blue
• Michigan made back-to-back NCAA Regional appearances and advanced to the NCAA Finals in 2016 and 2017. U-M had only one prior NCAA Finals appearance, in 2002 when it finished 17th. The Wolverines tied for 18th in 2016 and followed with a tie for 16th in 2017.
• In five seasons under coach Jan Dowling, U-M has posted two top-five finishes at the Big Ten Championships -- 2015 (fifth) and 2017 (fifth). Prior to Dowling's arrival, U-M had recorded just eight total top-five finishes at the conference tournament. Dowling's squad just missed a third top-five in 2016 when it finished sixth.
• Elodie Van Dievoet had a remarkable 2017 postseason for the Wolverines. After winning the Big Ten individual title, her dramatic 18-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole at the Columbus Regional helped send U-M to the NCAA Finals for a second straight season and gave her a top-10 individual finish (T9th). In the finals, she recorded the highest individual finish for a Wolverine (T4th) and paced U-M to its best finish at the championships (T16th).
Michigan in the NCAA Postseason
• Michigan has been represented in regional competition by the team or an individual 12 times, making team appearances in 2001, '02, '05, '07, '09, '11, '12, '16 and '17. Laura Olin (2004), Amy Schmucker (2006) and Ashley Bauer (2010) made central regional appearances as individuals.
•The Maize and Blue has advanced to the NCAA Finals three times in program history, finishing 17th at the 2002 event held at Washington National in Auburn, Washington, tying for 18th at the 2016 event held at Oregon Country Club in Eugene, Oregon, and tying for 16th at the 2017 event held at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Illinois.
Below is a look at how the Wolverines have fared during NCAA postseason action:
• 2001, East Regional - 12th of 21 (308-308-309/925) - program's first invitation
• 2002, Central Regional - 6th of 21 (313-322-294/929)
• 2002, NCAA Finals - 17th of 24 (301-299-299-300/1,199) - program's first advancement to NCAA Finals
• 2004, Central Regional - Laura Olin, individual, t-17th (75-76-78/229)
• 2005, Central Regional - 15th of 21 (301-320-305/926)
• 2006, Central Regional - Amy Schmucker, individual, t-71st (80-82-78/240)
• 2007, Central Regional - 13th of 21 (311-305-310/926) - hosted at U-M Golf Course
• 2009, Central Regional - 17th of 21 (312-321-327/960)
• 2010, Central Regional - Ashley Bauer, individual, t-76th (78-87-80/245)
• 2011, Central Regional - 18th of 24 (316-307-315/938)
• 2012, Central Regional - 16th of 24 (315-316-306/937)
• 2016, Alabama Regional - 6th of 18 (311-304-300/916)
• 2016, NCAA Finals - t-18th of 24 (296-299-292/887) - program's second advancement to NCAA Finals
• 2017, Columbus Regional - 6th of 18 (312-293-303/908)
• 2017, NCAA Finals - t-16th of 24 (315-315-299 = 929) - program's second straight advancement
Up Next
• Mon-Wed., May 6-8 -- NCAA Regional (NCAA selected, four sites)
Players Mentioned
