From October

Men’s

Southwest Baptist Invitational – 11 teams

Western ties for fifth overall — t9. Tyler Gast with a score of 145

Park University Fall Invitational – 9 teams

Western places third overall — t.11 Tyler Gast with a score of 80.

Women’s

Bearcat Fall Golf Classic – 6 teams

Western places first overall — 6. Casi Webb with a score of 172.

Park University Fall Invitational – 10 teams

Western places third overall — 5. Natalie Bird with a score of 163.

Truman Bulldog Classic – 6 teams

Western places second overall — t4. Shelby Stone with a score of 163.

Men’s

Missouri Intercollegiate – 18 teams

Western places 7th overall — t13. Tyler Gast with a score of 232.

Pittsburg State – 11 teams

Western places 8th overall — No. 20 Logan Gilliland with a score of 151.

13th Annual NSU Classic – 19 teams

Western places 15th overall — t14. Tyler Gast with a score of 217.

Women’s

Drury Fall Shootout – 18 teams

Western places 9th overall — t24. Shelby Stone with a score of 161.

CSP Wildwood Lodge Invitational – 12 teams

Western places 6th overall — t8. Natalie Bird with a score of 161.

Fort Hays State Invitational – 4 teams

Western places 2nd overall — No. 6 Kristen Cooley with a score of 170.

Western played in the tournament against Fort Hays and Pittsburg State. Although the team finished in the middle of the pack, Griffon golfer Logan Gilliand was the first place medalist, finishing with a two-day total of 146.

Head coach Jim Perry was slightly disappointed with his team’s play.

“Our expectations were higher because we were playing on our home course,” Perry said. “We had a little trouble on our par four scoring; it really did us in.”

Griffon golfer Logan Gilliand finished in first place individually at Western’s first golf tournament of the spring season. Photo | Sara Baum

With weather finally reaching the seventies and being able to play on their home course, the Griffons had a slight advantage.

“Playing on our home course is definitely to our advantage,” Perkins said. “We practice there every day so we know the course really well.”

Perkins hoped the team might capitalize more on the advantage they had.

“I don’t think that we played to our potential,” Perkins said. “We’ve only played six rounds this entire year, so obviously the team is only going to get better.”

Perry mentioned that par scoring would be one of the keys to improvement.

“We just didn’t play as sound as we’re capable of playing,” Perry said. “It was one of those deals where we need a lot more consistency from our par scoring.”

Perkins echoed Perry’s attitude, but saw some positives in the tournament and is hoping to do better next weekend.

“There’s a lot of room for improvement for our team,” Perkins said. “Overall I thought we did decent, but we definitely can improve and we will.”

The Griffons will be playing next on Monday, April 5, at the University of Central Oklahoma Invite in Edmond, Ok.

Women get first place at home

The Missouri Western women’s golf team had a strong start to their spring season as they finished first at their home tournament, the MWSU Invitational, this past Sunday.

The Griffons won the tournament by 37 strokes over second place Avila University. Western’s team score was 683 and Avila’s 720. Fort Hays finished in third, Northwest Missouri State in fourth and Rockhurst fifth.

Head coach Cathy Habermehl was happy with her team’s play.

Natalie Bird places her golf ball on the green during the Griffon’s first home golf tournament of the year. Photo | Sara Baum

The first day of the tournament was rainy and windy, but luckily on Monday the girls were able to play in sunny weather in the seventies.

“It was windy and wet the first day, so the course played pretty long,” Habermehl said. “I think the girls did really well yesterday considering the conditions.”

Freshman Natalie Bird placed first in the tournament, winning by seven strokes. Bird scored a 172. Darcy Smith tied for fourth, Lexi Webb finished in seventh and Kristin Cooley finished in a tie for eighth.

“Everybody has had their holes that they’ve struggled on, but they are all pretty tough and they get themselves back in it,” Habermehl said.

The nice weather and the ability to play on their own Fairview Golf Course both worked to the Griffons’ advantage.

“You always like to play on your own course,” Habermehl said. “You kind of know the greens a little better than the other teams. Also, knowing that your hometown people are coming out to watch you helps – everyone wants to do well at home.”

Western will be playing again on April 7 and 8 in the MWSU/NWMSU Event. The second round will again be played at Fairview Golf Course.

That desperation led her to select a Music Education major with no competitive golfing experience in high school or college.
People may wonder where or how Habermehl could find such a player. However, the slim possibility and timing that led to the discovery of Missouri Western senior golfer Kim Evans could only mean one thing. This was not a coincidence.

While playing golf at Lakeview Golf Course in the small town of Hamilton, Mo., Habermehl found the player to round out the roster. This was probably the last place she expected to find her fourth member.

Evans didn’t play golf in high school because she was playing softball in the fall at the same time golf was taking place. She was a varsity level athlete in every sport she participated in which included basketball, track, and the aforementioned softball. She only played golf once a year and that was during the summer.

At first, Evans was questioning the possibility of her playing golf for the Griffons because of her busy schedule which includes student teaching of music at Cameron High in Cameron, Mo.

“I thought, ‘this is crazy.’ I play golf once a year during the summer,” Evans said. “Then this lady who I don’t even know wants me to come play on her team.”

However, once she was offered a scholarship to help out with her tuition in her last year, she decided to take a chance and see what she could do for the team. Evans is glad she took that chance.

Finding time between student teaching and finishing up her senior year of college has not been easy for Evans.
“It’s really difficult I’ll admit,” Evans said. “But it’s definitely worth it.”

She teaches at the school daily until it is over, comes to golf practice, then returns home to make lesson plans or whatever is required of her teaching responsibilities.

Habermehl is pleased with the things Evans provides for the team skill wise as well as personality wise.

“Kim has a great personality and a natural athletic ability,” Habermehl said. “When you don’t have things to laugh about, she finds things to make you laugh.”

The comic relief and life experience that Evans provides for the team is easily overlooked as it traditionally is not something people put value on for a sports team. However, Evans believes that her sense of humor is one of her major strengths as an athlete and especially on the golf squad.

“I find myself a lot just trying to lighten things up a little bit. Some of these girls are pretty serious golfers and they’ve been at it their whole lives,” Evans said. “Being able to lighten things up is a whole lot of fun.”

Habermehl believes that Evans senior status and life experience causes her to bring an important aspect to the younger players on the team.

“I think that they really enjoy that she’s serious about her golf but when it’s over she knows that there is always the next round,” Habermehl said. “I think they respect her.”

Habermehl has enjoyed having Evans on the team and believes she has a bright future ahead of her.

“I just think she’s a great person, she’ll be very successful in whatever she does and she’s good with people,” Habermehl said. “She’s been a godsend to our team.”

Looking back now, perhaps it wasn’t a bad idea to select a Music Education major with no prior competitive golf experience to be a college golfer.

Both teams are anxious to get out to the course and start their spring seasons.

The men’s team did fairly well in the fall. They currently are sitting in second place in the MIAA conference standings.

Coach Jim Perry feels that winning the conference will be a key for a successful season.

“We’re the defending conference champions so winning that is the main goal of ours,” Perry said.

Right now the men have 12 points and trail first-place Washburn by four points.

Catching them will be a tough task. They have a strong team this year.

The Western women played in three tournaments in the fall. They didn’t fair as well as they would have liked, but they have a young team with one senior on the team, Lisa Cross. The rest of the team consists of three freshmen and a sophomore.

The women are led by coach Randy McGohan, who is in his fourth season as the women’s golf coach. The young team is learning as they go. They have a talented core of young players that can stay and build up the program over the next few years.

The men have nine people on their team. Perry believes two juniors are his team leaders.

“Aaron Lisenbee and Craig Lytle are our team leaders,” Perry said. “They always score the best.”

After losing Brice Garnett, there had to be someone to fill the role of top player. Lisenbee and Lytle are making that transition a little easier for the team to handle. Although
they are missing the numbers he put up, Lisenbee and Lytle are filling the hole left by Garnett’s departure.

The other main contributors on the team are Daniel Cordray, Shane Feist, Caleb Carter and Mitch Girres.

These six make up the nucleus that is fighting for a conference title.

Last year marked only the second time the Griffons won the league title. Going back to back would be a huge step for the program. The Griffons will need strong finishes in all the league tournaments to remain in contention.

The biggest tournament left as far as league play goes, is the MIAA tournament, which will be held in Branson, Missouri at the Branson Creek Country Club on April 23 and 24.

Both the men’s and woman’s teams will look to have productive spring seasons.

Both are looking for successful years and strong finishes.

Cross shot an 88 on opening day, and followed with an 87 in round two in order to lead the Griffons to a No. 12 finish. Cross wrapped up the tournament by coming up with a tie for the No. 39 seat, and a total score of 175.

Western golf coach Randy McGohan expects big things out of Cross this season.

“I expect Lisa to play really well,” said McGohan. “I think we’ll see regionals for the first time this season, if not as a team then Lisa as an individual.”

Another big contributor to the Griffon effort was Freshman Abbey Weddle. She posted scores of 88 and 90 to finish with a total score of 178. Freshmen Morgan Eckles and Maria Burge also played in the tournament. Burge shot a 209 while Eckles posted a 228.

McGohan is excited about welcoming three freshmen to the team this year.

“I’m just starting to learn what they can do,” said McGohan. “They all have a lot of natural talent.”

The incoming freshmen will play a major role for the Griffons this season. More than half the team is composed of freshmen.

A step higher is sophomore Diedra Twombly who shot a 209 to round out the tournament for Western. McGohan thinks that Twombly’s competitiveness will help the team. She played golf and basketball in high school.

Twombly is one of the more experienced players on the team despite the fact that she is only a sophomore. She hopes she will be able to help the incoming freshmen make the transition to college.

“Last year some of the seniors helped me with golf and school,” Twombly said. “Hopefully I will be able to do the same for some of the new freshmen this year.”

The Griffons may have a young team, but they still expect big things this year. Twombly thinks that this team can be better than last year.

The team may be in a rebuilding stage, but they expect the freshmen to have an impact this season. McGohan thinks Western put together a solid recruiting class that will improve the team throughout the year, and continue to grow in the future.

The majority of the Griffon’s schedule is in the spring. Western will only compete in three tournaments this fall.

The key to Western’s season may be how much they are able to improve this fall. The team may look to use the fall tournaments as a tune-up for the spring. This may provide a good opportunity for the younger players to gain some experience before the bulk of the season begins.

One thing the team needs to work on is course management. McGohan thinks his young team will produce big things once they get some coaching.

The team will look to get more contributions from its freshmen when they play in the Kenneth Smith Classic on Oct. 16-17, at Longview Lake.