Montana State to Compete at Diane Thomason Invitational on Monday and Tuesday

Monday, September 28

Pleasant Valley, Iowa

All Day

Montana State University

Diane Thomason Invitational - Day 1

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Montana State to Compete at Diane Thomason Invitational on Monday and Tuesday

9/27/2026 10:30:00 AM | Women's Golf

Bobcats set for third tournament in three weeks to open the season

By: Pershelle Rohrer

BOZEMAN, Mont. --- The Montana State women's golf team will seek to continue its positive momentum when it travels to Pleasant Valley, Iowa, for the Diane Thomason Invitational on Monday and Tuesday.

The Diane Thomason Invitational, hosted by Iowa, will deviate from its usual location in Iowa City, Iowa, while the Finkbine Golf Course undergoes renovations. The 2026 iteration of the tournament will be held at the par-71, 6,175-yard Davenport Country Club in Davenport, Iowa, with the first 36 holes set for Monday and the final 18 to be played on Tuesday. The Bobcats will tee off in a 7:30 a.m. MT shotgun start on Monday and in a 7 a.m. MT split-tee start on Tuesday as they conclude a string of three-straight tournament weeks to open the season.

"We're excited to be heading back to Iowa and playing at Davenport Country Club this year while Finkbine undergoes some improvements," Montana State head coach Brittany Basye said. "The University of Iowa always puts on a great tournament, and we're looking forward to the opportunity to compete on a great golf course, and a new one for us. It's also exciting to face some teams we don't see as often throughout the season. As we reach the midpoint of the year, we know we still have work to do. We need to continue cleaning up the big numbers, capitalize on our birdie opportunities, and compete for all 54 holes. If we can stay grounded, be where are feet are, and put ourselves in position throughout the tournament, we'll give ourselves an opportunity to be in that final pairing on the final round, and that's what we're working toward."

Montana State is one of 13 teams set to compete in Pleasant Valley this week. The field includes 11 new opponents for the Bobcats during the 2026-27 season, with North Dakota State serving as the lone squad that Montana State has already faced this year. The Cats will also face Bowling Green, Bradley, Drake, Iowa, Missouri State, Northern Illinois, Northern Iowa, Omaha, South Dakota, St. Thomas, and Western Michigan when they take the course on Monday.

The Bobcats head to Iowa after winning the Yellowstone Intercollegiate team title for the second-straight year on Sept. 21-22 in Bozeman. All seven Bobcats finished in the top 20 at Riverside Country Club as the Bobcats (10-over 874) earned a 12-stroke victory with the sixth-lowest 54-hole tournament score in program history. Sophomores Ashleigh Wilson and Sailor Graham led the Bobcats in a tie for third place with scores of 3-over 219, while senior Eva Heinz (T-6^th) also secured a top-10 result with a 4-over 220 performance.

The Bobcats will travel a five-person squad to Iowa, with Heinz, Wilson, Lauren Nau, Graham, and Norah Seidl making up the Cats' lineup for the Diane Thomason Invitational.

Montana State fared well at the Diane Thomason Invitational in 2025, with Lauren Greeny earning individual medalist honors to lead the Bobcats to a runner-up team finish in Iowa City. The Cats carded a team score of 894 behind top-10 finishes from Greeny (1^st – 211) and Maddie Montoya (T-8^th – 221) as Greeny recorded a Finkbine Golf Course record-low round of 64 and a Diane Thomason Invitational record for low tournament score at 5-under 211. Heinz, Seidl, and Wilson all competed in the tournament last year, with Graham and Nau set to make the trip in 2026 as the Bobcats play at the tournament's new site at Davenport Country Club.

Montana State is paired with Missouri State and North Dakota State on Monday and will tee off from holes 4 through 6 in a 7:30 a.m. MT shotgun start. Live scoring will be available at scoreboard.clippd.com.

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For the latest news, updates, and behind-the-scenes coverage of the Montana State women's golf team, follow the Bobcats on Twitter and Instagram at @MSUBobcatsGolf. Information on the Montana State athletic program can be found online at msubobcats.com or by following the Bobcats on Twitter at @MSUBobcats, Instagram at @MontanaStateBobcats, and on Facebook at Montana State Bobcats.