Sept. 12, 2009
FORT COLLINS, Colo. - The Baylor women's golf team will open the 2009-10 season with the Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic Sept. 14-15 at the Ptarmigan Country Club.
The 54-hole tournament will be held at the par-72, 6,259-yard course with 36 holes Monday and the final 18 holes on Tuesday. Monday's shotgun start will begin at 9:15 a.m. CT with the second round immediately following. The final round will tee off at 9:30 a.m. CT Tuesday.
In addition to Baylor and host Colorado State, the 16-team includes BYU, Colorado, Idaho, Long Beach State, Louisville, New Mexico, New Mexico State, Northern Colorado, San Jose State, San Francisco, Texas Tech, UTEP, Weber State and Wyoming.
Baylor has won the Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic twice - 2002 and 2005 - which is tied for the most team titles in the tournament's eight-year history. Former Lady Bears Sian Reddick and Josefin Svenningsson shared individual medalist honors in 2005 with a final score of 210. Baylor shot a 15-over 879 to finish seventh out of 19 teams at last year's Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic. Hannah Burke and Morgan Chambers each finished tied for 15th with an even-par 216.
"Experience always gives you confidence and this course sets up great," Baylor head women's golf coach Sylvia Ferdon said. "It's a bentgrass course, which is different than we are accustomed to, but it's a good tournament and we are excited to start the season."
The Lady Bears will employ a five-golfer lineup that is led by the two-time All-Big 12 performer Burke, Chambers, Chelsey Cothran, Jaclyn Jansen and freshman Melanie White. Last season, Burke paced the Lady Bears with a 74.89 stroke average in 12 events, guiding them to their ninth NCAA Regional appearance in 10 seasons. Chambers played in 10 of Baylor's 12 tournaments a year ago, posting an 80.00 stroke average through 30 rounds.
Cothran played in six events last season, posting a 78.83 scoring average after joining the team mid-year. As a freshman in 2008-09, Jansen participated in nine events, while recording an 80.67 scoring average through 27 rounds.
White, a native of Colleyville, Texas, will make her collegiate debut at the Ptarmigan Ram Fall Classic.
"Melanie has been a pleasant surprise," Ferdon said. "During qualifying, she opened with a high score and bounced back. It excites me as a coach anytime I see that. She'll have tournament jitters her first time out, but she's surrounded by great players that will help her out."
