Michigan
Springlake Intercollegiate
Freshmen Lead U-M to Fifth at Springlake Intercollegiate
3/16/1999 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Site: Sebring, Fla.
Course: Springlake Golf and Country Club (par 72, 5966 yards)
Tournament: Springlake Intercollegiate
U-M Team Finish: 5th place of 14 teams (330-314/644)
Top U-M Individual: Bess Bowers, tie-10th (84-74/158)
Next Event: March 22-23 -- at Myrtle Beach Classic (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
SEBRING, Fla. -- The University of Michigan women's golf team turned in its best performance of the season by placing fifth at the Springlake Intercollegiate, hosted by Northern Illinois University Monday and Tuesday (March 15-16) at Springlake Golf and Country Club. Michigan's final-round 314 help the Wolverines to a 36-hole score of 644, 18 shots behind champion Lamar (626).
Freshmen were the story for the Maize and Blue as U-M's top three scorers were all rookies. Bess Bowers (Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington North HS) turned in a career performance with a 10th-place finish, shooting a career-best 74, including a three-under par 33 on the back nine, in the final 18 holes. She shot an 84 in the first round and finished with a total of 158.
"I felt pretty good," explained Bowers in reference to her final round. "I was a little disappointed with the 41 I had on the front nine, but I knew if I started making my ups-and-downs and start making some putts and I would be fine."
Two other freshmen also turned in impressive performances as Misia Lemanski (Grosse Ile, Mich./Grosse Ile HS) and LeAnna Wicks (Brighton, Mich./Brighton HS) turned in final tallies of 160 and 164 respectively, both placing in the top 25 (77 individuals competed).
Other Wolverines participating included senior Sharon Park (Lexington, Ky./Henry Clay HS) and sophomore Trish Watkins (Darien, Conn./Darien HS). Sophomore Amy Talbot (Plantation, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas HS) competed as an individual and shot 159 (79-80) to tie for 13th.
"I'm very pleased," said Michigan head coach Kathy Teichert. "We beat both of the participating Big Ten teams (Iowa and Illinois), and we hadn't beaten Iowa, so that was great. Our final round of 314 was great and it could have even been better. Amy Talbot played very well as an individual and our freshmen really played well."
Final Team Standings
1. Lamar 319-307 = 626 2. Arkansas State 318-311 = 629 3. Iowa State 324-313 = 637 4. Texas Lutheran 331-312 = 643 5. MICHIGAN 330-314 = 644 6. Iowa 330-316 = 646 7. Eastern Michigan 323-324 = 647 8. Oral Roberts 327-322 = 649 9. Stetson 335-323 = 658 10. Northern Illinois 342-319 = 661 11. Hartford 342-325 = 667 12. Illinois 329-344 = 673 13. Rutgers 336-339 = 675 14. Xavier 346-333 = 679
Top Individuals
1. Janell Howland, Lamar 78-72 = 150
2. Denise Thiele, Lamar 80-72 = 152
Ashley Wilkerson, Oral Roberts 75-77 = 152
4. Stephanie Smoot, Eastern Mich. 76-77 = 153
5. Paula Greening, Xavier 81-73 = 154
Rebecca Sarjeant, Arkansas State 77-77 = 154
Michigan Individual Finishes
T10. Bess Bowers 84-74 = 158 T17. Misia Lemanski 83-77 = 160 T25. LeAnna Wicks 84-80 = 164 T30. Sharon Park 82-83 = 165 Trish Watkins 81-84 = 165 T13. Amy Talbot 79-80 = 159*
* played as an individual
Players Mentioned
