Women’s golf drives the ball to a fifth place finish

UW-Eau Claire women’s golf head coach Meghan Sobotta said the one of benefits of early season tournaments is being able to find things to improve upon for more important competitions later on in the season.

After a fifth place finish at the Georgianni Memorial Invitational last weekend, the Blugolds were able to pinpoint a big part of their game to work on before competition resumes.

However, Sobotta said although the team struggled on the putting green at Wild and Mill Ridge Golf Course in Eau Claire Saturday and Sunday, some good things definitely came out of the tournament last weekend.

The Blugolds showed improvement even from Saturday to Sunday, bettering themselves by three strokes Sunday to finish with a two-day total of 667.

“It’s early and it’s our first tournament back,” Sobotta said. “We had a few good scores and we’re making progress. We have room to work.”

Individually, junior Kate Engler had the mightiest swings for the Blugold golfers.

After coming into Sunday sitting in tenth place with a Saturday score of 81, Engler improved by two strokes to 79 on Sunday.  She moved up six spots in the overall standings and finished the tournament tied for fourth out of 83 golfers.

Engler, an honorable mention Women’s Golf Coaches Association All-American a season ago, said although she was also a victim of putting problems, she did other things well out on the course.

“I was hitting the ball really well, but I didn’t putt very well,” Engler said.  “But besides that, everything pretty well. Just a little bit tough on the greens.”

Sobotta said Engler’s putts weren’t at the best she’s seen out of her, but she was still pleased with how her star golfer played.

“She played well, I thought,” she said. “She left a few out there, but that just fuels her to get better and practice harder. She hit the ball really well today.”

Sobotta said Wild and Mill Ridge greens were tough for all competitors. She said she saw a lot of golfers have issues sinking it from close range over the weekend.

Sophomore Lauren Gaffney said it was nice to see improvements on Sunday, but Blugold golfers have more work to do.

“We all did better today than yesterday and we kept it together,” Gaffney said.  “I think everyone struggled with putting, so that’s something we just need to work on.”

Gaffney shot a 167 over the two-day tournament tying teammate junior Emily Stone for 18th overall.

Gaffney said she wasn’t getting anywhere close to those scores a year ago and plans to work to maintain a low average.

“Last year, I was in the high 90s and 100s,” Gaffney said.  “I worked hard this summer and I’m excited to stay consistent with my score.”

The Blugolds have high aspirations for 2013, as Sobotta, Engler and Gaffney said their biggest goal at the end of the season is to take the conference championship.

“We’re going to practice our putting,” Sobotta said with a laugh.  “But we’re taking each week and moving forward to conference. It’s early, but we’re always moving to the goal of conference and getting better that way.”

The Blugold golfers will look to take another stepping stone in that journey next weekend as travel to the Wartburg Invitational in Waverly, Iowa, for another two-day tournament starting Saturday and ending Sunday.