Tuesday, October 18
Birmingham, Mich. (Birmingham CC)
10 a.m.
Central Michigan University
vs
Chippewa Invitational
Photo by: Andy Sneddon
Women's Golf Closes Fall Slate With Runner-up Finish In Own Invitational
10/18/2022 6:14:00 PM | Women's Golf
BIRMINGHAM, Mich. – The Central Michigan women's golf team made a push on Tuesday before settling for a runner-up finish in its own Chippewa Invitational at Birmingham Country Club.
The Chippewas shot 319 on Tuesday to finish with a 639 total and five shots behind tournament champion Oakland. The Golden Grizzlies shot 316 to finish at 634. Bowling Green started the day in first place, six shots ahead of Oakland and eight in front of the Chippewas. The Falcons shot 330 on Tuesday and finished third (642) in the 10-team field.
Though the Chippewas and first-year coach Ryan Williams would have certainly liked to bring home the first-place trophy, the runner-up finish capped a solid fall season.
"There's a ton to be happy about, a lot of positives to take away, and I think it's important at the end of a fall season like this to be positive and gain confidence from the performances that we've had all fall," said Williams, whose team posted a first-place finish, two seconds, and a tie for third in five fall events.
Casilda Allendesalazar closed with a 77 to finish tied for third with a 36-hole, 157 total to lead CMU. Fellow Chippewas Ashley Goh and Padgett Chitty finished among three players tied for seventh place with a 159 total. Sixty-four players comprised the tourney field.
Both Goh and Chitty shot 80 on Tuesday after opening with matching 79's. CMU's Mackenzie Baustad shot 82 on Tuesday to finish tied for 25th at 165, while Claudia Salvador tied for 41st at 171 after a final-round 89.
CMU's Zoe Vartyan, Rachel Kauflin, and Ashley Liles competed in the tournament as individuals. Vartyan shot a final-round 81 to finish tied for 31st at 168; Kauflin shot 84 on Tuesday to tie for 39th at 170; and Liles carded a final-round 94 to finish at 182.
Tuesday's final round, like Monday's opening round, was played in brutal weather conditions with temperatures in the low 40s, high winds and sporadic rain.
"The weather was a factor the last few days and you wouldn't know it by seeing my kids' attitudes out there," Williams said. "They hung tough, they stayed positive, and that's exactly what I asked them to do. Really happy to see that and really happy to see them come out on the other side no worse for the wear."
The Chippewas now take a break and begin the spring portion of their schedule in February. That spring schedule is yet to be finalized, but it is in the spring where a program measures itself definitively with the Mid-American Conference Championship in April.
"It's nice to be able to sit back and observe the players and how they interact and how they handle themselves out there in tournament situations," Williams said in reflecting on the fall. "I've been really impressed with this group; I know we have a ton of talent and a ton of really good qualities. We've just got to keep working hard and keep working to push and get better and better. I know we have the right group to do that."
It marked the second Chippewa Invitational at the beautiful and storied Birmingham Country Club in suburban Detroit. The event is the brainchild of CMU graduate and BCC member Rocky Ricelli who, with his wife Traci, were the driving forces behind organizing it both in the inaugural in 2019 and this year.
"This is a first-class event," Williams said. "Thank you to Rocky and Traci Ricelli and Birmingham Country Club and all the members and staff here for welcoming us. This is a really, really nice facility and it might be one of the best golf courses we will play all year; it might be one of the truly great golf courses that any college event is played on. We're lucky to be able to host here and we look forward to coming back every year."
Bowling Green's Emily Nystrom and Bridget Boczar of Oakland shared medalist honors. Both finished at 9-over par 153. Nystrom, the first-round leader, closed with a 79; Boczar shot 78 on Tuesday.
The Chippewas shot 319 on Tuesday to finish with a 639 total and five shots behind tournament champion Oakland. The Golden Grizzlies shot 316 to finish at 634. Bowling Green started the day in first place, six shots ahead of Oakland and eight in front of the Chippewas. The Falcons shot 330 on Tuesday and finished third (642) in the 10-team field.
Though the Chippewas and first-year coach Ryan Williams would have certainly liked to bring home the first-place trophy, the runner-up finish capped a solid fall season.
"There's a ton to be happy about, a lot of positives to take away, and I think it's important at the end of a fall season like this to be positive and gain confidence from the performances that we've had all fall," said Williams, whose team posted a first-place finish, two seconds, and a tie for third in five fall events.
Casilda Allendesalazar closed with a 77 to finish tied for third with a 36-hole, 157 total to lead CMU. Fellow Chippewas Ashley Goh and Padgett Chitty finished among three players tied for seventh place with a 159 total. Sixty-four players comprised the tourney field.
Both Goh and Chitty shot 80 on Tuesday after opening with matching 79's. CMU's Mackenzie Baustad shot 82 on Tuesday to finish tied for 25th at 165, while Claudia Salvador tied for 41st at 171 after a final-round 89.
CMU's Zoe Vartyan, Rachel Kauflin, and Ashley Liles competed in the tournament as individuals. Vartyan shot a final-round 81 to finish tied for 31st at 168; Kauflin shot 84 on Tuesday to tie for 39th at 170; and Liles carded a final-round 94 to finish at 182.
Tuesday's final round, like Monday's opening round, was played in brutal weather conditions with temperatures in the low 40s, high winds and sporadic rain.
"The weather was a factor the last few days and you wouldn't know it by seeing my kids' attitudes out there," Williams said. "They hung tough, they stayed positive, and that's exactly what I asked them to do. Really happy to see that and really happy to see them come out on the other side no worse for the wear."
The Chippewas now take a break and begin the spring portion of their schedule in February. That spring schedule is yet to be finalized, but it is in the spring where a program measures itself definitively with the Mid-American Conference Championship in April.
"It's nice to be able to sit back and observe the players and how they interact and how they handle themselves out there in tournament situations," Williams said in reflecting on the fall. "I've been really impressed with this group; I know we have a ton of talent and a ton of really good qualities. We've just got to keep working hard and keep working to push and get better and better. I know we have the right group to do that."
It marked the second Chippewa Invitational at the beautiful and storied Birmingham Country Club in suburban Detroit. The event is the brainchild of CMU graduate and BCC member Rocky Ricelli who, with his wife Traci, were the driving forces behind organizing it both in the inaugural in 2019 and this year.
"This is a first-class event," Williams said. "Thank you to Rocky and Traci Ricelli and Birmingham Country Club and all the members and staff here for welcoming us. This is a really, really nice facility and it might be one of the best golf courses we will play all year; it might be one of the truly great golf courses that any college event is played on. We're lucky to be able to host here and we look forward to coming back every year."
Bowling Green's Emily Nystrom and Bridget Boczar of Oakland shared medalist honors. Both finished at 9-over par 153. Nystrom, the first-round leader, closed with a 79; Boczar shot 78 on Tuesday.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Golf
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