Women's Golf Opens Spring Season With Seventh-Place Performance

A two-round 645 score turned in by the nationally-ranked Ferris State University women's golf team at the Northern Kentucky Invitational (March 27-28) proved worthy of a seventh-place finish among a field of 21 tournament participants.

The Bulldogs registered rounds of 321 and 324 to finish 69 strokes over par on the par 72, 5,819-yard Perry Park (Ky.) Golf Club course.  FSU was eight strokes in back of both Illinois Wesleyan (637, +61) and Missouri-St. Louis (637, +61) which tied for fifth place.  Lindsey Wilson College claimed top team honors with a 37-over par 613 stroke total.

Sophomore Erin Fuchik (Tulsa, Okla./Bishop Kelley) produced a team-leading 20th-place tying performance in her season debut after firing a 158 score (77-81=158, +14).  Sophomore Bryce Hetchler (Clinton Township/Fraser) was one stroke behind Fuchik with a 159-stroke total (81-78=159, +15) to claim a share of 27th-place honors.

Sophomore Brooke Rodes (Traverse City/West) tied for 35th place following a 161 (80-81=161, +17) while sophomore Blaize Baumgartner (Perry) generated a 167 (83-84=167, +23) to claim a six-way tie for 52nd place.  Sophomore Breezy Bernth (Greenville) capped the Bulldogs' scoring with a 92nd-place tying 177-stroke total (89-88=177, +33).

Freshman Amy Smith (Cincinnati, Ohio/Sycamore) competed as a non-scoring individual and turned in a 182 score (96-86=182, +38) to tie four others for 103rd place.   

Ferris State will continue action in Kentucky on April 10-11 as the Bulldogs participate in the Eastern Kentucky Colonel Invitational at Richmond, Ky.