Friday, April 21
Boulder City, NV
8:45 a.m. MT
Montana State University
at
2017 Big Sky Conference Championship
The Bobcats are headed to Boulder City for the Big Sky Championship
Big Sky Championship on Tap for MSU Women’s Golf
4/19/2017 12:01:00 PM | Women's Golf
Five 'Cats head to Boulder City to vie for the conference title beginning on Friday
Montana State has geared up all season and now has its eyes set on the 2017 Big Sky Conference Women's Golf Championship which begins Friday, April 21, at the Boulder Creek Golf Club in Boulder City, Nev.
The Bobcats played in nine tournaments as a team during the 2016-17 season and head into their 10th facing a field of 11 other Big Sky members.
"I think the biggest thing leading into conference and what we need to focus on as a team is our ability to stick to our game plans," Montana State head coach Brittany Basye said. "That helps us become more at ease if we have a game plan. Heading into the first tee box, we should know what we're going to hit. Obviously things can come up like wind or rain, but if we know in our minds what we need to hit or have a set plan for that, then that puts less pressure on the girls."
MSU will tee off on hole No. 1 of the par 72, 6,395-yard course at approximately 8:45 a.m. MDT Friday with its five participants playing alongside Eastern Washington and Weber State golfers. Jaylee Tait, Janelle Reali, Kelly Hooper, Delaney Elliott and Coral Schulz make up the Bobcats' contingent, with Schulz starting it out for MSU in the morning.
Basye's squad returns to play at the Boulder Creek Golf Club where the Bobcats competed at a season ago during the conference meet.
Tait – named an all-conference honoree by the Big Sky Monday – was MSU's top finisher a year ago and earned all-conference accolades by tying for third overall at the 2016 Big Sky Championship with an even-par 216. Janelle Reali also appeared in the tournament and placed 45th by firing a three-round 233.
For the remaining three Bobcats who are freshmen, it'll be the first time they've played at championship site.
"The course is a very playable golf course," Basye said. "It's kind of a combination of the last two we played at, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes and Golf Club of Estrella, so I'm excited to see how it sets up. If the wind blows it'll be extremely difficult, but if the wind isn't blowing it sets up favorable scoring conditions.
"Jaylee had a lot of success last year at this golf course and I'm hoping she takes that with her and it gives her some confidence. Janelle also played (the course) very well and finished on a good note. She had 17 pars in a row during one of the rounds last year which is incredible."
Tait. The Littleton, Colo., native played in every meet for the 'Cats this season and had a scoring average of 75.42 strokes per round. Reali heads into her final Big Sky meet as the 'Cats second-best scorer with her 76.69 scoring average.
Hooper serves as MSU's top scoring freshman with her 77.54 average. She's competed in all nine of the Bobcats' meets this year and is tied with Tait for the team lead with five even-par or better rounds this season. Elliott has been one of MSU's most consistent golfers recently, including her team-best finish in the Bobcats' last meet. Schulz rounds out the Bobcat lineup having participated in all but one of the team's events in her opening collegiate campaign.
The first group of three teams will tee off on the first hole at 8 a.m. MDT to start each round. The top three teams in the standings going into the second round of play will kick things off for the second set of 18 holes Saturday. It flips on Sunday, as the No. 5 players in the lineup for the three teams sitting at the bottom of the team leaderboard will begin the final round of play at 8 a.m. Sunday.
The Bobcats played in nine tournaments as a team during the 2016-17 season and head into their 10th facing a field of 11 other Big Sky members.
"I think the biggest thing leading into conference and what we need to focus on as a team is our ability to stick to our game plans," Montana State head coach Brittany Basye said. "That helps us become more at ease if we have a game plan. Heading into the first tee box, we should know what we're going to hit. Obviously things can come up like wind or rain, but if we know in our minds what we need to hit or have a set plan for that, then that puts less pressure on the girls."
MSU will tee off on hole No. 1 of the par 72, 6,395-yard course at approximately 8:45 a.m. MDT Friday with its five participants playing alongside Eastern Washington and Weber State golfers. Jaylee Tait, Janelle Reali, Kelly Hooper, Delaney Elliott and Coral Schulz make up the Bobcats' contingent, with Schulz starting it out for MSU in the morning.
Basye's squad returns to play at the Boulder Creek Golf Club where the Bobcats competed at a season ago during the conference meet.
Tait – named an all-conference honoree by the Big Sky Monday – was MSU's top finisher a year ago and earned all-conference accolades by tying for third overall at the 2016 Big Sky Championship with an even-par 216. Janelle Reali also appeared in the tournament and placed 45th by firing a three-round 233.
For the remaining three Bobcats who are freshmen, it'll be the first time they've played at championship site.
"The course is a very playable golf course," Basye said. "It's kind of a combination of the last two we played at, Ak-Chin Southern Dunes and Golf Club of Estrella, so I'm excited to see how it sets up. If the wind blows it'll be extremely difficult, but if the wind isn't blowing it sets up favorable scoring conditions.
"Jaylee had a lot of success last year at this golf course and I'm hoping she takes that with her and it gives her some confidence. Janelle also played (the course) very well and finished on a good note. She had 17 pars in a row during one of the rounds last year which is incredible."
Tait. The Littleton, Colo., native played in every meet for the 'Cats this season and had a scoring average of 75.42 strokes per round. Reali heads into her final Big Sky meet as the 'Cats second-best scorer with her 76.69 scoring average.
Hooper serves as MSU's top scoring freshman with her 77.54 average. She's competed in all nine of the Bobcats' meets this year and is tied with Tait for the team lead with five even-par or better rounds this season. Elliott has been one of MSU's most consistent golfers recently, including her team-best finish in the Bobcats' last meet. Schulz rounds out the Bobcat lineup having participated in all but one of the team's events in her opening collegiate campaign.
The first group of three teams will tee off on the first hole at 8 a.m. MDT to start each round. The top three teams in the standings going into the second round of play will kick things off for the second set of 18 holes Saturday. It flips on Sunday, as the No. 5 players in the lineup for the three teams sitting at the bottom of the team leaderboard will begin the final round of play at 8 a.m. Sunday.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
Coach Spalding on next week's home event
Thursday, September 27
Bobcat Invitational 2012
Tuesday, September 25
Coach Basye - Aug.28
Tuesday, September 25
Montana State Women's Golf Indoor Facility
Tuesday, September 25
