WMU News

Golf team hosts inaugural Bronco Invitational

April 5, 2000

KALAMAZOO -- The Western Michigan University's golf team will conduct its lone home meet of the season with the Bronco Invitational on April 9-10 at the Moors Golf Club (par 73; 5,918 yards) in Portage, Mich. Admission is free. Tee times are 10 a.m. on Sunday and 9 a.m. on Monday. The tournament field includes Bowling Green, Butler, Eastern Michigan, Ferris State, Grand Valley State, Loyola Chicago, Oakland, Ohio and WMU.

No in its second season of competition, WMU recorded its highest tournament finish ever with a second-place showing out of 11 teams at the Spring Laker Invitational, hosted by Grand Valley State (April 1-2). The Broncos shot 655, eight strokes off the school record, and won a second-place tie-breaker over Bowling Green by having a lower fifth scorer in the final round. Toledo captured the team title, 10 strokes ahead of the field. Sophomore Kristen Smith used a career-low round of 79 on Saturday to earn team medalist honors at 159 (seventh overall). Freshmen Erica Bieniek and Katie Yoder carded 164s to finish tied for 15th overall.

Says head coach Cindy Trout, "Our individual scores and averages are dropping, and we're becoming more consistent, but there are still some makeable putts that aren't falling. The Moors is a challenging course, even though its our home course. We're really shooting to take home the team title."

Team notes

Angela Harbar shot a collegiate-low 86 on Saturday at GVSU.

Erica Bieniek's team-low average now stands at 83.4, just ahead of Katie Yoder's 83.9.

The Bronco Invitational serves as a final tune-up prior to the second Mid-American Conference Championships, April 28-30. WMU has battled Toledo and Bowling Green evenly the last two tournaments and looks to gain an edge this week.

All nine WMU golfers will see action this weekend. WMU generally travels with five to six squad members.

Media contact: Daniel Jankowski, 616 387-4122; daniel.jankowski@wmich.edu


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