Gerry wins Badger Invitational, team places second
September 28, 2008 | Women's Golf
Freshman Jessie Gerry (Madison, Wis.), competing as an individual, tied a tournament and school record en route to a victory at the 2008 Badger Invitational on Sunday. Meanwhile, the 42nd-ranked University of Wisconsin women's golf team had its best finish of the season as it placed second at their home course, the par-72, 6,216-yard University of Wisconsin Golf Course'University Ridge in Verona, Wis.
Heading into the final round Gerry was seven-under par with a 137 (71-66), establishing a Badger Invitational record for 18 and 36 holes, a school record for 36 holes and tying the school record for 18 holes. In round three, Gerry, who was competing in just her second-career tournament, shot a six-over 78 to become the first Badger to win the event since Katie Elliott did so with a 225 in 2006. Gerry's final score of 215 (71-66-78) ties the Badger Invitational record set by Onnarin Sattayabanphot of Purdue in 2005 and the school record set by Emily Hendricks at the Legends Shootout in 2001.
The team used a solid round of 12-over 300 on Sunday to earn a second place finish, its best since taking second at the Iowa Invitational last October and its best at the Badger Invitational since it was second in September of 2006. Wisconsin ended 38 strokes over par for the tournament with a 902 (296-306-300), earning the fifth-best score in tournament history and tying the school record for 54 holes.
California took home the team title with a 25-over par 889 (296-297-296). The Bears ' three-round total was the second best in tournament history and the fifth-best at the University Ridge Golf Course amongst women's college scores.
Junior Molly Schemm (Ft. Atkinson, Wis.) led the Badgers in team play as she finished in a tie for fifth. Competing in her first tournament for Wisconsin since transferring from Northern Iowa, Schemm fired a final round 73 to end four strokes above par with a 220 (74-73-73).
Wisconsin had another golfer finish in the top-10 as junior Kelsey Verbeten (Green Bay, Wis.) ended in a tie for 10th, her best finish of the season. Verbeten shot a final round 77 to end seven-over par with a 223 (73-73-77).
Also competing toward the team score were junior Heather Herrick (Hartland, Wis.), sophomore Carly Werwie (Kenosha, Wis.) and senior Isabel Alvarez (Gijon, Spain). Herrick was competing in her first tournament of the season and finished tied for 34th with a 19-over 235 (73-87-75). Werwie tied for 34th as she finished 22-over par with a 238 (85-78-75) and Alvarez ended in a tie for 46th as she was one stroke behind Werwie with a 239 (76-82-81).
The Badgers also had four golfers compete as individuals in the tournament.
Freshman Ellie Arkin (Reedsburg, Wis) and senior Jeana Dahl (Fargo, N.D.) each finished in a tie for 19th with a 13-over 229. Arkin, making her first appearance of the season shot a 76 in round three after a 76 in round one and a 77 in round two. Dahl recorded a season-low for 18 and 54-holes with a 73 in the final round after a 78 in rounds one a two.
Junior Ann Marie Sztukowski (Fond du Lac, Wis.) had the best 54-holes of her career as she bettered her old mark of 253 with a 230 (74-77-79) on Sunday. Her finish in 22nd place was also the best of her career, better than the 42nd place finish she had at the event last year.
Fellow junior Beth Weinstein shot a final round 80 to end in a tie for 38th with a 20-over 236 (80-76-80). Like all the individualists, Weinstein was making her season debut.
The women's golf team will return to the links next weekend when they travel to Iowa City, Iowa for the Iowa Invitational on Saturday and Sunday.
