W-GOLF TO HOST MOUNTAIN VIEW COLLEGIATE
TUCSON - University of Colorado head women's golf coach Anne Kelly as well as team members Maria Persson-Gulda, Hannah Hoch, Allison Rella, Jessie Malcom, Jessica Ellis and Lindsay Koth will be wrapping up the University's spring break week when they host the Mountain View Collegiate here this Saturday and Sunday, March 26-27.
The seventh annual satellite tournament will be played on Tucson's Mountain View Golf Course, a 5,982 yard layout which plays to a par 72. The tournament will feature 8 a.m. shotgun starts both days, with 36 holes being played Saturday, and 18 Sunday.
Colorado will host 15 teams, including Boise State, Colorado State, Denver, Idaho, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisville, Missouri, Nebraska, Northern Arizona, Northwestern, Portland State, San Jose State, Washington State. In addition, six teams, including Arizona (who is not fielding a full team, will be playing individuals.
A year ago the University of Denver shot two of the lowest rounds in Mountain View Collegiate history, as the Pioneers shot 296-292-306-894 for their first MVC win. Their first two rounds were top-10 efforts in the then-six year old tournament and their 36-hole tournament is third lowest all-time. Just 12 strokes separated the top-20 leaderboard as Washington State's Kim Welch added her name to the Mountain View record books as her 2-under 214 paced the 89 player field for medalist honors. She edged Denver's Emily Hoeper and San Diego State's Jenna Wilson by three strokes. Hoch and Persson-Gulda were the Buffs' low scores in 2004, both finishing in a nine-way tie for 12th with a +9 225.
Previous winners include Arizona (1999), Oklahoma (2000), Colorado (2001), Kansas State (2002), International Pacific (2003) and DU.
Despite the tournament's remote location, the Mountain View Collegiate will always hold a special place in the annals of the Colorado program as the Buffs won their first-ever team title here in 2001. It was a dramatic win, with an unlikely heroin. At the end of 36 holes and a 603 score, the Buffs were tied for the win with Brisbane Queensland, Australia's International Pacific College. Tournament rules dictate that the win be awarded to the team whose fifth player recorded the lower tournament score. Then CU frosh Jo Pritchard turned in a160 scorecard while Mako Oda of IPC fell one stroke shy. The Buffs will be looking for a similar fortune this weekend. Since that storied win, they've finished no higher than fifth in Tucson.
The Mountain View Collegiate is one of two regular season tournaments remaining on the Buffs' 2005 slate. CU will play at the Utah Dixie Classic April 4-6 before traveling to Austin, Texas for the Big 12 Championships.