WOODBURY, Minn. – Led by senior Gabby Curtis' 4-under par 68, the Wisconsin women's golf team shot the third-best round of the day and climbed two spots to finish in a tie for fifth place at the season-opening Minnesota Invitational at Prestwick Golf Club in Woodbury, Minnesota.
 
Curtis, starting the day on the ninth hole, was even par through her first 10 holes. She then went on a run, birdieing four of her next five holes. She finished with three consecutive pars to tie her career low round and record the fifth top-10 finish of her Badger career, tying for 10th.
 
After a pair of even-par rounds yesterday, senior Becky Klongland birdied three of her last four holes to shoot a 71 in the final round and finish in a tie for 19th at 1-under par. Joining her at 1-under, in her first tournament for the Badgers after transferring from North Carolina, was Lexi Harkins.
 
Senior Aya Johnson, who missed the last two seasons due to injury, tied for 26th at 2-over par in the tournament. Junior Jessica Reinecke recorded her best round of the tournament, shooting a 71 to finish in a tie for 31st.
 
"We had a great round as a team today," UW head coach Todd Oehrlein said. "I'm very proud of the way we finished. We got off to a bit of a slow start but then settled in and played really well down the stretch."
 
As a team, the Badgers were 6-under par in the final round, trailing only Southern California (-8) and Notre Dame (-7) for the best rounds of the day.
 
Competing as an individual in her first tournament for the Badgers, sophomore Bobbi Stricker recorded her best round of the tournament at +3. She finished in a tie for 76th.
 
TEAM SCORES
1. Southern California (-26)
2. Michigan State (-17)
T3. Purdue (-10)
T3. Notre Dame (-10)
T5. Wisconsin (-9)
T5. Louisville (-9)
7. Virginia Tech (-8)
8. East Carolina (-4)
9. Minnesota (+7)
10. Kansas State (+8)
11. Brigham Young (+12)
12. Georgia (+18)
13. North Texas (+29)
14. Kansas (+30)
 
UW INDIVIDUALS
T10. Gabby Curtis (-5), 71-72-68=211
T19. Lexi Harkins (-1), 72-71-72=215
T19. Becky Klongland (-1), 72-72-71=215
T26. Aya Johnson (+1), 72-71-74=217
T31. Jessica Reinecke (+2), 73-74-71=218
T75. Bobbi Stricker (+15), 78-78-75=231