Women finish 10th: Led by a second-place finish from sophomore Malinda Johnson, the Wisconsin women’s golf team took 10th at the Big Ten Championship held at the par-72 Stone Creek Golf Course. Strong winds sent scores higher Sunday as the Badgers ended the championship with rounds of 340 and 345 to drop into 10th place at 1300.
Johnson finished with a 72-77-77-79–305 to end in a three-way tie for second, just one shot behind Molly Fankhauser of Ohio State, who won her second-straight Big Ten individual title despite an 83 in the third round. Johnson’s finish equaled the best ever by a Wisconsin golfer at the championship, tying Rachel Wise, who placed second in 1994. Her 72-hole score also places her third on the UW all-time list.
Junior Katie Connelly tied for 36th with a 78-76-88-83–325. Senior Heidi Njoes finished tied for 53rd with a 75-78-86-95–334. Sophomore Emily Hendricks rounded out the Badger scoring, placing 60th with a 78-85-89-90–342. Junior Carli Gregorin and freshman Andrea Nelson finished 63rd and 65th, respectively.
Ohio State won its first team championship since 1999, placing four golfers in the top ten. The Buckeyes shot a 317 in the final round to finish at 1220, 10 shots ahead of second-place Purdue, which entered the final-round with the lead. Michigan finished third with a 1251.
Men’s golf: The Wisconsin men’s golf team posted a final-round 309 to finish 15th at the Bruce Fossum Invitational with a three-round total of 932 at the Forest Akers Country Club. Junior Jon Turcott paced the Badgers with a 74-74-75–223 to finish tied for 13th.
Toledo cruised to a nine-shot victory in the team standings, led by individual medalist David Jones who carded an even-par 216. Illinois finished second with an 885, followed by host Michigan State at 890.
Freshmen Brian Brodell placed 59th with an 81-77-77–235. Fellow frosh Kevin Tassistro was three shots back in a tie for 67th with a 76-79-83–238. Junior Joel Rechlicz tied for 71st with an 83-79-79–241, while senior Eric Reno tied for 76th with an 85-83-78–246.
The Badgers head to Iowa City, Iowa, next weekend for the 2002 Big Ten Championship.
— compiled from staff reports
