Feb. 26, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. -- For the sixth straight year, Northwestern heads to the Lone Star state for the 12th Annual Texas A&M "Mo"morial Invitational. The 13-team event takes place Monday and Tuesday, Feb. 28 and March 1 at the Traditions Golf Club in Bryan, Texas.
The 46th-ranked Wildcats want to build on their final-round success at the Central District Classic held last week in Parrish, Fla. After a sluggish start in its first event of the spring season, Northwestern managed to finish 11th out of a 15-team field.
"We came out a bit rusty in the first round and obviously that put us behind the pack, but we improved the next two rounds," head coach Chris Regenberg said. "It's difficult trusting yourself in that first round coming off the winter, but the next two rounds showed us we are in competitive shape."
The Wildcats need to be in competitive shape facing the "Mo"morial's strong field. Participating in the event are: No. 30 Baylor, No. 33 Kent State, No. 32 TCU, North Carolina, No. 43 Texas A&M, Kansas State, UTEP, Kansas, Oregan State and Texas-Pan American, as well as Big Ten foes Wisconsin and Indiana.
"The MoMorial will be an important event for us to get some head-to-head wins for regional rankings," Regenberg said.
After shooting the second-lowest round in school history at the Central District Classic, sophomore Alice Kim (Los Angeles, Calif./Brentwood) will once again be called upon to lead the `Cats into this week's competition. But for NU to have success in Texas, Regenberg will have to rely on more than just the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
"Alice certainly played very well last week as did Heather," Regenberg says. "They drove the ball long and straight and hit a lot of greens in regulation. But I expect that Brittany, Kelly and Ina also will put together three solid rounds this week."
The 'Cats took seventh in last year's "Mo"morial. Alice Kim led the team, placing fourth among a field of 88 golfers.