2009 HEATHER FARR/CU MEMORIAL INVITATIONAL: The Golden Gophers will travel to Erie, Colorado to play in the 2009 Heather Farr/CU Memorial Invitational on Oct. 5 and 6.The invitational, hosted by the University of Colorado at Boulder, will be played on the Buffaloes' home course, Colorado National, which is a par-72, 6,350-yard layout.
The tournament field includes: Colorado, Colorado State, Denver, Eastern Washington, Fresno State, Gonzaga, Hawaii, Minnesota, Montana State, Nevada, Nebraska, Northern Colorado, Portland State, San Diego State, Southern Methodist, Texas State, Texas Tech, UT-San Antonio, Weber State, and Wyoming.
The teams will play 36 holes on Monday and finish with 18 holes on Tuesday. Live scoring and results for the entire tournament can be found at www.golfstat.com.
Rankings:The University of Minnesota women's golf program has fielded teams every year since 1975, or for 33 seasons, and statistically, the 2008-09 Gophers are the best the program has seen. Minnesota averaged a combined score of 311.04 for a stroke average of 77.85, bettering the 1987-88 team that averaged 77.97 for the season.
That being said, The 2009-10 Gophers are already bettering that average after two events this season. Golfstat currently has the Gophers rated 52nd, Minnesota's highest ranking since the inception of the golfstat rankings, as their team score average sits at 305.67 for a stroke average of 76.42. Also, Golfweek has the Gophers as the 67th best team in the nation this week.
2009 LADY NORTHERN INVITATIONAL: Minnesota carded combined rounds of 304-304-308 to finish in eighth place out of 15 teams weather-delayed Lady Northern Invitational in Madison, Wis.
Minnesota was led by freshman Jackie Shepherd and junior Teresa Puga, who both finished in a tie for 21st place at 10-over par 226. Shepherd, in her second collegiate tournament, shot rounds of 75-73-78. Puga started strong with an opening round 73 and finished Monday with rounds of 77 and 76.
Also contributing for the Gophers was junior Samantha Sommers (77-74-78), junior Mary Narzisi (79-78-76), senior Christine Herzog (83-83-78), and junior Michele Edlin (85-84-80).
Purdue came from third place after 36 holes to take the invitational title by 13 strokes with a 1-over par 865.
THE GOPHERS: Minnesota will go with a familiar lineup this weekend, led by the Gopher junior class of Teresa Puga, Mary Narzisi, Michele Edlin and Samantha Sommers. Freshman Jackie Shepherd, coming off the best tournament in her brief collegiate career, will also be in the lineup. Puga has the team's lowest stroke average (75.16) after two events while Shepherd is close behind with an average of 76 per round.
UP NEXT: The Gophers will take two weeks off before heading to the Las Vegas Showdown, hosted by the University of Nevada-Las Vegas. The invitational will be played at Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder Creek, Nev. on Oct. 26-28.
