Although the weather has not been great around Madison the past few days, it was unable to halt the 2006 Badger Invitational held at University Ridge this past Sunday and Monday. The UW women's golf team was the runner- up in a field of 11 schools with a team score of 932, ten strokes behind first place Indiana.
Despite the 20 mph wind gusts and the driving rain that forced a 30- minute delay due to unplayable course conditions, UW junior Katie Elliot claimed first place in dramatic fashion. After tying Louisville's Adrienne White at nine-over-par after three rounds, Elliot chipped in from 25 yards out for a birdie that clinched the title on the first playoff hole.
The win marked the first Badger to win a tournament since the spring of 2004 when UW's Malinda Johnson won the Tapatio Springs Shootout.
Elliot is the first in the program to win the Badger Invitational since Johnson did it in 2003. Elliot was able to erase a five-stroke deficit going into the final round and amassed nine birdies in the tournament and forced the playoff with a two-over-par 74 in the final round.
Other top Badger players who were key in locking up a second place finish were sophomores Jeana Dahl and Isabel Alvarez. Dahl came into the final round in 16th place, but after recording two birdies on the back nine she was able to finish with a two-over 74 and a career best eighth place finish. Alvarez shot a five-over-par 77 in her final round, securing a total of 235, which marks her career-low total score.
UW freshmen Kelsey Verbeten and Heather Herrick both had solid first career tournaments finishing 32nd and 52nd respectively.
After starting the tournament off with a 74, senior Jill Ries finished in a tie for 43rd place with a total score of 244. Redshirt freshmen Ann Marie Sztukowski finished in a tie for 54th place with a total of 253.
Rounding out the competitors for the UW women were freshmen Kate Wierwill and Heidi Hinners. Wierwill finished the tournament with a total score of 254, earning her a 56th place finish, while Hinners finished in 59th place after tallying a total score of 256.
The team heads to the Lady Northern Invitational at Fort Akers West Golf Course in East Lansing, Michigan on September 16-17.
—uwbadgers.com contibuted to this report
