Michigan
Wolverine Invitational
Schmucker's Record Round Helps U-M Grab Early Lead
10/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Site:Â Ann Arbor, Mich.
Course:Â University of Michigan Golf Course (par 72, 5,966 yards)
Tournament: Wolverine Invitational
U-M Standing: 1st Place of 7 Teams (291-302/593) after Day 1
Top U-M Individual:Â Amy Schmucker, 1st (68-75/143)
Next U-M Event:Â Sun, Oct. 2 -- host Wolverine Invitational (U-M Golf Course)
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- With blue skies shinning and not a cloud in the sky, senior Amy Schmucker (Cold Spring, Minn./Rocori HS) used the perfect conditions to fire a U-M record-tying four-under 68 in the first round today (Saturday, Oct. 1) to help the University of Michigan women's golf team to take a 10-stroke lead at their own Wolverine Invitational at the U-M Golf Course. The Maize and Blue used team rounds of three-over 291 and a 302 to post a 593 36-hole total on the first day and took a 10-stroke lead over SMU, who sits in second with a 603 total (292-311).
Schmucker, who sits atop the leaderboard with a one-under 143 36-hole total, helped the Wolverines get out of the gates early with a career-best and U-M record-tying four-under 68. After opening with a birdie on her very first hole, she followed with another on No. 4, as her putter got red hot helping her to finish the front nine two-under. After an errant drive to open the back nine, her approach rested four feet away as she recorded her third birdie of the day on No. 10. She followed with another on No. 13 as she rolled through her first 18 holes tallying 29 putts and 14 pars to go along with her four birdies as she tied the U-M mark.
In the second round, Schmucker kept it rolling through the first two holes before she etched her first blemish of the day on her 21st hole with a bogey on No. 3, but she made it up quick birding No. 4. Another bogey on No. 7 was erased with a birdie on 8 as she made the turn even par. She went one-under with a birdie on No. 11, but a bogey on No. 12 followed by a double bogey on 14 and a bogey on 15 marred her final nine holes as she closed out the round three-over. Despite those blemishes, she still maintained a one-stroke advantage on Maryland's Katie Stepanek, who sits in second with a 144 total (73-71), which included a hole-in-one on No. 12 in the first round.
Junior Ali Stinson (Penticton, B.C./Penticton Secondary) used her consistent play to give her a 146 36-hole total and put her in the top five as she is third after she opened with a one-under 71 followed with a three-over 75 in the second round. Senior Kelly Easton (Port Huron, Mich./Northern HS) give the Wolverines three in the top 10, as she is in ninth after tallying a 154 36-hole total after rounds of three-over 75 and a 79.
Other Michigan starters scores include: sophomore Lindsay Davis (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS), tied for 16th with a 158 total (77-81), junior Brianna Broderick (Richmond, Mo./Richmond HS), tied for 18th with a 159 total (83-76) and sophomore Isabelle Gendreau (St. Georges de Beauce, Quebec/Saint Andrew's School [Boca Raton, Fla.]), tied for 21st with a 160 total (84-76).
In addition to the Wolverines starting squad, the remaining roster played as individuals. In her first collegiate tournament, freshman Lydia Benitez Colon (Dorado, Puerto Rico/Pendleton School [Bradenton, Fla.]) is tied for 24th after a 161 36-hole total (80-81). Senior Brandi Zielinski (Sylvania, Ohio/St. Ursula Academy) is 32nd with a 167 total (83-84), junior/sophomore Julie Inwood (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea HS) is tied for 38th with a 172 total (86-86) and redshirt-sophomore Rose Cassard (East Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids HS) is 47th with a 192 total (95-97).
The 2005 Wolverine Invitational will conclude Sunday (Oct. 2) with a final 18 holes at the U-M Golf Course starting with a 9 a.m. shotgun start.
Team Standings (After Day 1)
1. MICHIGAN 291-302 = 593 2. SMU 292-311 = 603 3. Maryland 307-307 = 614 4. Western Michigan 311-306 = 617 5. Eastern Michigan 315-317 = 632 6. Bradley 318-320 = 638 7. Bowling Green 346-341 = 687
Top Individuals
1. AMY SCHMUCKER, U-M 68-75 = 143 (-1)
2. Katie Stepanek, Maryland 73-71 = 144
3. ALI STINSON, U-M 71-75 = 146
4. Erin Thorne WMU 73-74 = 147
5. Jennifer Ackerson, SMU 71-77 = 148
6. Laura Cross, SMU 72-78 = 150
7. Lacey Jones, SMU 73-78 = 151
8. Stephanie Fleet, EMU 75-78 = 153
9. KELLY EASTON, U-M 75-79 = 154
Kristina Rothengatte, SMU 76-78 = 154
Other Michigan Individuals
T16. Lindsay Davis 77-81 = 158 T18. Brianna Broderick 83-76 = 159 T21. Isabelle Gendreau 84-76 = 160 T24. Lydia Benitez Colon 80-81 = 161* 32. Brandi Zielinski 83-84 = 167* T38. Julie Inwood 86-86 = 172* 47. Rose Cassard 95-97 = 192*
* playing as individual
Q U O T E S
Michigan coach Kathy Teichert
On the first day ... "I thought we played very well in the first round. With Amy (Schmucker) and Ali (Stinson) both shooting under par, that speaks volumes for our players and where they are with their games right now. The second round we just started to dwell on our bad shots. We had the same game plan for the second round, but we just didn't focus as much. We cannot worry if we have a bad shot or a bad hole. We need to be patient. We need to make sure that we focus on our task at hand in the final round. There are some really good teams here, and they will be gunning for us and will be ready to score tomorrow. I put a quote in the lockerroom that said, 'the world needs dreamers and the world needs doers and the world needs dreamers who do.' I just asked them, are if we are a team that dreams and does. I think that they are. We just need to take it one shot at a time tomorrow."
Senior Amy Schmucker
On her record-tying first round ... "What is funny is that my swing has not felt solid the last few weeks, but I told coach I am going to make it work. Then when I was warming up today, I could feel that putting was really on. I just told myself that my putter was going to be lightning today and that I am going to shoot a really good number. I told myself that I was going to stay patient through the first round and on the first hole I just really stuck it two feet. So I capitalized early and I just paced myself throughout the rest of the front nine. I had a terrible drive on No. 10, but my second shot I put it within four feet and made that putt. So, that is a good birdie and really helped me to start off the back nine well. I had another birdie on No. 13 and the rest I just continued to pace myself. I just tried to stay patient to the end and it really worked out well for me."
On what the team needs to do to come away with the tournament title ... "We need to stay patient. It's our golf course and everyone has to realize that they are capable of birding any hole out here because we know the course so well. If we mess up on one hole, we know we can take advantage of it on the next. We know this course. So, if we stay patient out there and the low scores will come."
N O T E S
• Amy Schmucker's first round four-under 68 was not only a career-best by two strokes, it also tied the U-M record for the top all-time single round score. Her tally ties Laura Olin (second round) and LeAnna Wicks' (first round) 68s tallied at the 2002 Hawkeye Invitational (April 13-14) and Kim Benedict's first round 68 at the 2001 Shootout at the Legends (Oct. 8-9). Schmucker's previous best round total was a two-under 70 in the final round of the 2005 Central District Classic (Feb. 21-22).
• Lydia Benitez Colon played in her first collegiate tournament at the 2005 Wolverine Invitational. In addition, Brandi Zielinski also played in her first tournament of the 2005-06 season.
Players Mentioned
