Women's golf 2008 recap
May 01, 2009 | Women's Golf
2008 was a year of variety for the women's golf team. They finished as high as second place at the Badger Invitational in the fall but struggled to find consistency in other tournaments. With just two seniors, the young Badgers finished the majority of their tournaments in the top half of the standings and showed growth both as individuals and as a team. The team ended the season standings with an average score of 312.21 over 34 rounds, the fourth-best season average in school history.
Junior Kelsey Verbeten, competing in every match this year, concluded the season as the top individual finisher for the Badgers, averaging the low score of 77.94 over 34 total rounds played. Her season was highlighted by an outstanding third-place finish at the Duramed Invitational. Verbeten was instrumental in many of the Badgers' high placings as she led the UW in three events and scored highly in many others.
The Badgers started off the season ranked 66th in the nation. Their first outing, at the College of Charleston Cougar Classic in South Carolina, brought a respectable 14th out of 22 placing. Verbeten led the team with a solid performance during the third round and finished in a tie for 19th place. This large tournament served as a great warm-up, offering the women a chance to check out other teams and get back into the swing of competition.
Next the ladies played host to 12 ranked teams for the Badger Invitational at their very own University Ridge. Ten Badgers competed, five as a team and five as individuals. Knowing the course had its advantages and the Badgers pulled off a fantastic performance to land them in second place as a team. Freshman Jessie Garry, competing as an individual, showed stellar skills to tie the tournament and school record, as well as claim the number one placing with a three-round score of 215.
Heading to the nearby Iowa Invitational next, the Badgers had yet another impressive performance earning them fourth place out of 15 teams. Verbeten led the team as she earned fifth place, swinging her way to a 12-over par, 228. Senior Jeana Dahl was close behind, finishing in a tie for 12th place. Four of the six Badgers competing finished in the top 20 of the tournament.
The then 64th-ranked University of Wisconsin women's golf team ended in 10th place at the Lady Northern Invitational. Senior Isabel Alvarez was the top Badger golfer. Competing as an individual, Alvarez had the best finish of her career, ending in a tie for 12th place with a score of 14 over, 230. The top Badger competing toward the team score, for the second time of her career, was Gerry, who finished in a tie for 20th.
Concluding the fall portion of the season, the Badgers finished seventh in the 19-team field at the Edwin Watts-Palmetto Intercollegiate. Gerry again led the way for the Badgers, earning the top spot with a 20th-place finish. Gerry's consistent placings throughout the fall season showed a great deal of promise for the future. Sophomore Carly Werwie had her best tournament of the season, shooting a 233 to finish in a tie for 23rd.
The team opened its spring season with a match play win over Indiana in sunny Arizona. The teams followed a nassau format, which consisted of head-to-head matchups of six players from each team. Dahl shot a 77 to defeat IU's Emily Habbel 3-0. Both Gerry and Verbeten had 2.5-.5 wins.
Spring tournament play opened with a rough start at the Lady Puerto Rico Classic as the Badgers ended the tournament in 16th place. Competition and the course design proved to be tough in the Caribbean; Purdue was the only team to record two sub-300 rounds in the tournament earning them the team title. Werwie was the top Badger, finishing in a tie for 26th place at 231.
The Wisconsin women fared much better at Duramed Invitational in Rio Grande, wrapping up with a share of sixth place. Verbeten and Werwie both had performances that landed them in the top five of the tournament. Verbeten's three-round score of 220 earned her the honor of third place and would be her best score of the season. Like Verbeten, Werwie 's finish in fifth was her best as a Badger.
The Badgers shot a final round 303 to secure sixth place out of 12 teams at the Oregon Duck Invitational. Junior Molly Schemm was the Badgers' top finisher, shooting a 231 to earn a share of 19th place. Werwie concluded with a three-round total of 236 (77-82-77) and a share of 27th place.
Notching yet another respectable finish the Badgers placed fifth at the Indiana Spring Invitational. Demonstrating improved consistency, all five Badgers finished the tournament within five strokes of each other with Alvarez leading the way in 18th place. One stroke back of Alvarez was Verbeten, finishing in 23rd.
Closing out the regular season, the women's golf team hit the road to the Lady Buckeye Invitational in nearby Ohio. With seven of the 15 teams being from the Big Ten, this tournament proved to be a sort of practice round for Big Ten's next up on the schedule. Schemm once again paved the way for the team, scoring a 234 to take a share of 26th place.
Big Ten Championships brought stiff competition this year with four of the 11 teams ranked in the top 50. The Badgers finished with a total four-round score of 1,275 at +123 to put them in the eighth place spot. Schemm was the top finisher at 15th place. Showing great late season improvement as an individual, this was the third time she was the top finisher in the last four tournaments.
Losing only two members of the team, Alvarez and Dahl, to graduation this year, the future looks bright for the Wisconsin women's golf team. Spring season brought consistent improvement and showed how the team could progress. With summer steadily approaching, meaning more time on the golf course, we can expect to see even more improvement when the team rejoins in fall.
