BYU on top after round one of Bobcat Classic
GOODYEAR -- After a couple of uneven outings, the BYU women's golf team was back on track Monday, sitting in first place after round one at the Bobcat Desert Classic.
Freshman Rachel Newren--the youngest of the Newren sister trio of Natalie, Nicole, and Rachel--led the Cougars (301) on the first 18 holes of play, shooting a 74 and tying for fifth place in the individual standings.
"It was a solid effort all around," BYU head coach Sue Nyhus said. "It was a steady effort by everyone."
Margaret Gibby and Alexis Edwards came in right behind Newren with a 75, good enough for eighth place overall. Natalie just missed the top 20, coming in 21st as she shot 77. Nicole rounded out the Cougars' five with a 79.
The Bobcat Classic, although played in Goodyear, Ariz., is a two-day, 36-hole event hosted by Montana State. The venue is a 6,050-yard, par-72 course at the Palm Valley Golf Club.
Nyhus said she anticipates a strong finish from her team on Tuesday.
"I expect us to be aggressive tomorrow," she said. "Our goal here is to gain confidence and we are on our way."
BYU, who is currently ranked 60th in the nation by golfweek.com, is the top-ranked team in a field of the following 17 teams: Boise State, Oral Roberts, SW Missouri State, Montana State, Montana, Eastern Washington, Wyoming, Sacramento State, Weber State, Northern Arizona, Western Michigan, University of Toledo, Campbell, Cal Riverside, Idaho State, Grand Canyon, and Western New Mexico.
Nyhus said BYU would not play down to the level of its competition.
"We play against ourselves and we don't focus on others," she said. "All we can do is play our best golf."
BYU finished 12th in the Texas A&M Mo-morial last week in College Station, Texas.
Northern Arizona, the winner of last year's tournament, sits in 13th place. Riverside's Lindsay Snowden was the top individual player Monday, shooting one-under-par.
Bobcat Desert Classic Goodyear, Ariz.March 8-9, 2004 Palm Valley Golf Club
Par: 72 Yardage: 6,050
Fin. Name Score
1 BYU 301 (+13)
T 5 Rachel Newren 38-36--74 (+2)
T 8 Margaret Gibby 36-39--75 (+3)
T 8 Alexis Edwards 39-36--75 (+3)
T 21 Natalie Newren 39-38--77 (+5)
T 41 Nicole Newren-Chandler 41-38--79 (+7)
Fin. Team Score
1 BYU 301 (+13)
2 Boise State 303 (+15)
T 3 Toledo 304 (+16)
T 3 Western New Mexico 304 (+16)
T 5 Western Michigan 307 (+19)
T 5 Weber State 307 (+19)
7 Sacramento State 310 (+22)
T 8 Eastern Washington 312 (+24)
T 8 Cal Riverside 312 (+24)
10 SW Missouri State 314 (+26)
11 Oral Roberts 317 (+29)
12 North Texas 318 (+30)
13 Northern Arizona 320 (+32)
14 Montana State 324 (+36)
15 Montana 325 (+37)
16 Idaho State 329 (+41)
17 Wyoming 338 (+50)
18 Grand Canyon 359 (+71)
Fin. Name School Score
1 Lindsay Snowden Cal Riverside 39-32--71
2 Marci Hoover Weber State 38-34--72
T 3 Sara Boogard Toledo 36-37--73
T 3 Courtney O'Neill Cal Riverside 36-37--73
T 5 Rachel Newren BYU 38-36--74
T 5 Jasi Acharya Montana 37-37--74
T 5 Jennifer Hedberg Boise State 37-37--74
T 8 Ashley Hogg Boise State 37-38--75
T 8 Kristen Kennedy Western New Mexico 35-40--75
T 8 Margaret Gibby BYU 36-39--75
T 8 Amanda Fisher Oral Roberts 35-40--75
T 8 Breanne Hall Toledo 35-40--75
T 8 Katharine Dorris Western New Mexico 36-39--75
T 8 Erin Thorn Western Michigan 36-39--75
T 8 Alexis Edwards BYU 39-36--75
T 8 Carlie Allen Eastern Washington 37-38--75
T 17 Jeanie Bagnell Eastern Washington 37-39--76
T 17 Caitlan Roschek Western Michigan 40-36--76
T 17 Kim Cammer Western New Mexico 37-39--76
T 17 Margaux Sheehan Sacramento State 36-40--76
