Oct. 3, 2014 WACO, Texas - Baylor women's golf is one of 17 teams playing in the 2014 Schooner Fall Classic at Belmar Golf Club in Norman, Okla. The three-day, 54-hole tournament begins Saturday.
Baylor will be playing in the second-annual event for the first time. The Toby Keith Foundation hosts the tournament, and all proceeds go directly to the OK Kids Korral, a facility that serves the needs of pediatric cancer patients. The Lady Bears will be joined by Arkansas, California, Central Florida, Clemson, Florida State, Kent State, LSU, Mississippi State, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, SMU, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State and Texas Tech.
"We're taking our best players, they're playing well, and we just need to go get reps under our belts," head coach Jay Goble said. "Playing in these tournaments in the fall is all about getting experience and getting comfortable. We're getting to know a few more new faces on the team and how the whole team dynamic works."
BU's lineup is anchored by senior Hayley Davis, followed by junior Laura Lonardi, sophomore Maggie Beth Byers, freshman Giovana Maymon and sophomore Louise Gateau-Chovelon. Junior Natalia Perez will participate as an individual.
"It's going to be nice to have Laura Lonardi back in the lineup," Goble said. "She stayed out the first tournament because she played in the World Amateur in Japan, and we wanted to make sure she didn't get too far behind in school. Hayley Davis also went to Japan and had only been back for two days before we went to Charleston, so I don't think she was as energized and ready to play as she should've been."
Byers and Maymon led the team by shooting 12-over 228 in the season-opening Charleston Cougar Classic. Davis was one stroke behind at 13-over, and Perez shot 22-over. Gateau-Chovelon and Lonardi both sat out the Cougar Classic, where BU finished in 21st place.
"Giovana (Maymon) has been awesome, she's worked really hard and she's a talented kid," Goble added. "Louise (Gateau-Chovelon) came back to Baylor a little bit rusty after spending a lot of time with her family this summer and didn't play as many tournaments as she has in the past, but I think she's coming around and getting back into competitive mode again. Maggie Beth (Byers) has just been awesome with her total outlook on golf, and she's really excited to play in the tournament. She's working hard to make sure she goes to every event, and she's getting ready to have a great fall. Natalia (Perez) has been in and out of our lineup for the last couple of years, but she's a big part of our team and its success, so I love taking her and giving her more experience."
Baylor begins Saturday's opening round from the first tee at 9:50 a.m. CT, and the Lady Bears will be paired with Arkansas and Florida State. Gateau-Chovelon has the first tee time, and she'll be followed in eight-minute intervals by Maymon, Byers, Lonardi and Davis, respectively. Perez will begin from the 10th tee in a group with players from Texas State and Texas Tech.
Live scoring is available at www.birdiefire.com. For updates throughout the season, follow @BaylorWGolf on twitter.
