The Gustavus women’s golf team opened its 2005 fall season with a strong second place finish at the 17-team UW-Eau Claire Invitational played at Mill Run and Wild Ridge Golf Clubs in Eau Claire. Senior Kelli Groff led the team individually as she placed second with a 36-hole total of 78-77–155. The team tied a school record for 18-hole team score with a 320 on Sunday and finished with a final team score of 330-320–650, just two strokes behind tournament champion St. Thomas which finished at 326-322–648. The Gusties 36-hole team score of 650 broke the old school record by four strokes (654) which was set in the spring of 2004 at the Northern Kentucky Invitational.
The Gusties placed five golfers in the top 20 individually including Groff in second place, Kimbra Kosak in 9th at 81-82–163, Erin Schliep in 14th at 85-80–165, and Rachel Roberg (87-80–167) and Alana Reetz (86-81–167) tying for 17th.
Kelli Groff’s 36-hole individual total of 78-77-155 is the second best 36-hole total in school history behind Alicia Golembeski’s 153 at the MIAC Championships in the fall of 2001.
The team will take part in two different tournaments this weekend at Concordia College in Moorhead. On Friday, the team will play an 18-hole tournament, and then on Saturday and Sunday they will compete in a 36-hole tournament. All rounds will be played at the Wildflower Golf Course in Moorhead.