April 22, 2002
Bowling Green, Ky. - Western Kentucky University's men's and women's golf teams find themselves facing different challenges as the Sun Belt Conference Golf Championships completed the first day of competition in Niceville, Fla., today (Monday, April 22).
After 18 holes of the 54-hole event at the Bluewater Bay Resort, Coach Brian Tirpak's Hilltoppers find themselves in fourth place in the 10-team field, just four strokes behind leader New Mexico State. The Aggies fired a seven-over par 295 to take a one-stroke advantage over Denver (296). South Alabama is third with its 298 total and Western completed the day at 299, two strokes ahead of North Texas (301).
Only two golfers - South Alabama's Matt Lemma (70) and NMSU's Jon Babick (71) - beat par (72) in the opening round. Western's John Mullendore (Jr., Bowling Green) finished the day in a three-way tie for third (with New Orleans' Kevin Maxwell and Denver's Tommy Hart) with an even par 72.
Rounding out the scoring for the Toppers were: Brandon Waldrop (Fr., Louisville), who was sixth with a 73, Eric Mason (Sr., Booneville), whose 76 tied him for 20th, Sam Smith (Fr., Bedfordshire, England), 30th with a 78, and Jared Topmiller (Jr., Central City), 36th with his 80.
On the women's side, Coach Chuck Eison's Lady Toppers found the going rough, finishing the day in ninth place with 326. New Mexico State paced the women's competition as well, carding a 300 and leading second place Arkansas-Little Rock by six strokes.
The Lady Toppers were nine strokes ahead of 10th place South Alabama and within range (just six strokes) of sixth, a goal for the Western women in final two days of competition.
Jennifer McGill (Jr., Bowling Green) and Crystal Anglea (Jr., Greenwood, Ind.) led the WKU women with a pair of 79s to tie a pair of Denver golfers in 24th place. Sarah Lilly (So., Owensboro), Morgan Hannah (So., Franklin, Tenn.) and Jennifer Taylor (Fr., Indian Springs, Ohio) each carded an 84 and were in a group of seven athletes tied in 36th place.
The annual Sun Belt championship event continues with 18 holes tomorrow (Tuesday, April 23) and concludes with 18 Wednesday (April 24).
Sun Belt Conference Golf Championships, Bluewater Bay Resort, Niceville, Fla.
Men's Team Scores (thru 18 holes) - 1) New Mexico State 295, 2) Denver 296, 3) South Alabama 298, 4) Western Kentucky 299, 5) North Texas 301, 6) Arkansas State 303, 7) Arkansas-Little Rock 305, 8) Louisiana-Lafayette 309, 9) Middle Tennessee 313, 10) New Orleans 318.
Women's Team Scores (thru 18 holes) - 1) New Mexico State 300, 2) Arkansas-Little Rock 306, 3) Florida International 308, 4) Denver 309, 5) New Orleans 312, 6) Middle Tennessee and North Texas 320, 8) Arkansas State 324, 9) Western Kentucky 326, 10) South Alabama 335.
