NOBLESVILLE, Ind.- The Western Michigan golf team fired a team season-best 299 in the final round Monday at the 2015 MAC Fall Preview, moving the Broncos from fifth place into a second place with a 54-hole total of 907. WMU opened The Preview yesterday with rounds of 300 and 308.
The event was hosted at the par-72, 6,275-yard layout at the Purgatory Golf Club by Eastern Michigan. The course will also serve as the site of this spring's Mid-American Conference Championships.
All five Broncos competing finished in the top 25.
“We made a good come back today, we knew it was going to be windier and play harder then yesterday,” said WMU second-year head coach Stacy Snider. “We talked this morning about being tough and grinding it out in the conditions. I'm proud of their efforts in shooting our lowest round of the season today and jumping three spots on the leaderboard.”
Freshman Claire Hernandez had the Broncos' top individual finish, moving up from 27th yesterday and placing ninth. She had a final total of 10-over 226 (74-79-73).
Junior Anna Wilcoxson also made a big jump, tying for 12th after sitting tied for 35th after day one. She carded a 72 Monday, tying as WMU's lowest round of The Preview and finished at 11-over 227 (76-79-72). Wilcoxson led the field in par-4 scoring at 2-over.
Freshman Sarah White also tied for 12th at 11-over 227 (75-72-80) and shot a 72 in the second round yesterday.
Sophomore Julia Champion tied for 19th with a 14-over 230 (75-79-76) and junior Kaitlyn Watkins tied for 24th with a 16-over 232 (76-78-78).
White and Champion both recorded eagles yesterday, WMU's first of the season.
Toledo captured its second consecutive tournament title with a 897 (302-297-298). Eastern Michigan tied with Western Michigan with a 907 (299-299-309). Akron finished in third place with a 912 (300-299-313). The Zips' Frida Fougberg was the individual medalist shooting a 5-over 221 (69-72-80).
The event featured nine MAC teams in addition to four programs from outside the league.
Western Michigan closes out the fall Nov. 1 at the UALR Women's Golf Classic in Hot Springs, Ark. The Broncos open their spring schedule in Lakewood, Fla., Feb. 8-9, with MAC Match Play.
WMU Individual Scores
T9. Claire Hernandez, 74-79-73--226 (+10)
T12. Anna Wilcoxson, 76-79-72--227 (+11)
T12. Sarah White, 75-72-80--227 (+11)
T27. Julia Champion, 75-79-76--230 (+14)
T24. Kaitlyn Watkins, 76-78-78--232 (+16)
Team Scores:1. Toledo 302-297-298--897
T2. Western Michigan 300-308-299--907T2. Eastern Michigan 299-299-309--907
4. Akron 300-299-313--912
5. Ball State 305-296-312--913
6. Northern Illinois 304-305-306--915
7. Youngstown State 313-296-318--927
8. Bowling Green 302-313-318--933
9. Ohio 312-315-318--945
10. Indiana State 314-314-326--954
11. Illinois-Chicago 320-317-328--965
12. Central Michigan 318-323-331--972
13. Cleveland State 318-336-344--998
