NOTRE DAME, Ind. (Blugolds.com) – The UW-Eau Claire women's golf team finished in fifth place out of 10 teams at the two-day 2011 O'Brien National Invitational at Warren Golf Course on the campus of the University of Notre Dame today.
The invite featured some of the top teams in Division III. Nine of the 10 teams competing in this year's invite are ranked 11th or better according to the National Golf Coaches Association preseason poll.
Methodist University (N.C.), which has won 24 NCAA titles, won the invite with 630 strokes while DePauw University (Ind.) finished with 631 to take second. The Blugolds recorded 642 strokes for fifth while Washington-St. Louis (Mo.) was third with 639 and Centre College (Ky.) was fourth with 641.
Leading the way for the Blugolds was Catherine Wagner (Jr.-Austin, Minn.), who finished in second place with 152. Olivia Lugar of Washington-St. Louis won medalist honors with 149 strokes in the 62-golfer field. Both were named to the five-person All-Tournament team.
All five of the Blugolds' golfers finished tied for 32nd place or better.
Emily Swift (Sr.-Onalaska, Wis.) tied for 18th with 163 strokes while Lauren Gault (Sr.-Shorewood, Wis.) came in 20th with 164. Maggie Lattery (Sr.-Lake Nebagamon, Wis./Northwestern) had 166 strokes to tie for 28th and Sara Mattes (Sr.-La Crosse, Wis./Central) tied for 32nd with 168.
Next weekend the Blugolds will compete in the Division III Midwest Classic, hosted by Carleton College. Action will take place Saturday and Sunday at the Jewel Golf Club in Lake City, Minn.
-KM-
