BECKER, Minn. – The (RV) University of Northwestern Women's Golf team is on a mission to win its third-consecutive Upper Midwest Athletic Conference championship, and its fourth in five years this week at Pebble Creek Golf Club. UNW comes in as the heavy favorite, having won five events this season, including its last three, and has yet to lose to a UMAC foe. While the weather in Becker may be starkly warmer than previous years, the conditions will be equally as tough, making the tournament more of a survival mission than anything.
Day One
The course difficulty lived up to expectations, as only one player in the field shot in the 70's. That player was
Paige Johnson (Zimmerman, Minn./Homeschool), who used a steady approach to fire a 77 (+5) to take a five-stroke lead. The junior nearly parred the entire front nine (her second nine) until a bogey on the last hole. As a team, the Eagles hold an 11-shot advantage over UW-Superior at 335 (+47). Freshman
Bri Brandt (Blaine, Minn./Legacy Christian Academy) finds herself tied for second place after day one, using birdies on her first and last holes of the day to card an 83 (+11).
Morgan Eckman (Jordan, Minn./Jordan), the two-time defending medalist in the event, is tied for fourth place after turning in an 85 (+12). Just behind the junior is freshman
Brielle Lenz (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield), who is tied for sixth with a score of 89 (+17), while
Sondra Albrecht (Ham Lake, Minn./Legacy Christian Academy) is tied for 10
th at 91 (+19).
UNW will once again be in the final grouping of tee times for Friday's second round, beginning at 12:12 PM.
