In their last tournament of the fall, the Minnesota women’s golf team scored an 851 and finished in 13th place at the Las Vegas Collegiate Showdown, which wrapped up on Tuesday.
The Gophers score was 31 strokes lower than the team’s next lowest score of the season and set a program record for lowest score in a 54-hole tournament.
“I think it was a matter of who was making more putts this week,” head coach Michele Redman said.
Vanderbilt University and the University of Nevada-Las Vegas tied for first place in the tournament. The two teams were 33 under par and finished 20 strokes ahead of the Gophers.
Minnesota tied for first at the Collegiate Showdown on the same golf course last season. The team shot an 863 last year, 12 strokes worse than their 13th place finish on Tuesday.
“I’m obviously a numbers person, and I look at stuff like that,” Redman said. “The scoring average was a little better, and I’m glad we broke the record from last year, but the conditions were a little different from last year as well.”
Sophomore Sabrine Garrison led the Gophers, tying for 10th place in the tournament with a score of 206. The score broke the Minnesota record for best score at a 54-hole tournament by two strokes.
Garrison also surpassed her career best score of 214, which was set at the same tournament last season.
“I really like this golf course,” Garrison said. “I think it suits my game. I enjoy playing it. I come in each year feeling confident where my game is at. I think this year was a little easier because there wasn’t as much wind.”
Junior Emie Peronnin and sophomore Heather Ciskowski each shot an even par 216 in the tournament. The two tied for 53rd individually.
“I think we’re both naturally very competitive people, which helps us out,” Ciskowski said when asked about the tie. “Honestly, I was just focusing on myself and my game and my performance.”
Freshman Muyu Wu scored a 218 in the tournament, which was her best score of the fall season.
Freshman Maggie Heggerston was the only other first-year player to make the trip to Las Vegas. Heggerston finished tied for 94th place with an individual score of 224.
“It’s [Heggerston’s] first time traveling and playing in a tournament,” Redman said. “I thought each day she got better. She finished really well today. I thought she got some
good experience playing with Muyu Wu.”
The Gophers are off until their spring schedule resumes in February.
“The first two tournaments we played, we [needed] to get used to being under par and being comfortable there and just getting lower and lower,” Redman said when referring
to the fall season. “I think that’s the most important thing.”
