Elliott Wins 2006 Badger Invitational
September 11, 2006 | Women's Golf
UW junior Katie Elliott holed a 25-yard chip for a birdie on the first hole of a sudden death playoff to win the 2006 Badger Women's Golf Invitational at the par-72, 6,175 yard University Ridge in Verona, Wis. Elliott overcame severe weather conditions which included winds gusting to 20 mph, driving rain, temperatures in the 50s and a 30-minute delay due to course conditions to lead the Badgers to a second place team finish.
Elliott beat the Louisville's Adrienne White whom she tied at the end of the 54-hole regulation play with a nine-over-par 225. Indiana won the tournament with 58- over par 313-307-302--922, exceptional play considering the entire tournament was played in rain.
The Badgers finished in second place 10 strokes back with 311-316-306--932. The last time Wisconsin finished a tournament that high was when it finished second at the 2003 Big Ten Championships.
The story of the day, though, was Elliott. The Madison native won her first collegiate tournament and is the first individual to win a regular season tournament for the Badgers since Malinda Johnson won the Tapatio Springs Shootout in March of 2004. Johnson was also the last UW golfer to win the Badger Invitational when she won the event in 2003.
The lousy weather did not seem to affect Elliott who had nine birdies in the tournament and shot a two-over par 72 in her final round. Elliot came into the day five strokes behind the leader but she remained consistent. She shot a 74 in the first round, a 77 in the second, and concluded with another solid 74 in the final 18 holes.
Sophmores Jeana Dahl (Fargo, N.D.) and Isabel Alvarez were also integral parts of the Badgers' second place finish. Dahl entered the final round tied for 16th place with a 157. She had two birdies on the back-9 to help her finish with a final-round of 74 and a career best eighth-place finish. Alvarez, a native of Gijon, Spain, entered the day tied for 18th but shot a five-over par 77 in the final round and completed the tournament with a career low total score of 235.
Freshmen Kelsey Verbeten (Green Bay, Wis.) and Heather Herrick both played solid in their first career tournaments. Verbeten finished tied for 32nd and had a total score of 241 (80-81-80). Redshirt freshman and Hartland, Wis., native Herrick shot an 85 in the final round and finished in 52nd place with a 249.
Competing as individuals for the Badgers were senior Jill Ries (Middleton, Wis.) and redshirt freshmen Ann Marie Sztukowski. Ries shot an impressive first-round 74 and finished the tournament tied for 43rd place with a 244. Sztukowski, a native of Fond du Lac, Wis., finished tied for 54th place (76-89-88-253).
Freshmen Kate Wierwill (Verona, Wis.) and Heidi Hinners (Middleton, Wis.) also competed as individuals. Wierwill finished in 56th place with a 38 over par-254. Hinners shot an 11-over par 83 in the tournament's final round to earn 59th place.
It's back to work for the Badgers next weekend as they travel to East Lansing, Mich. to compete in the Lady Northern Invitational at Fort Akers West Golf Course Sept. 16-17.
