Jackets Finish Strong at PWC Golf Championships (Apr.
23, 2005)
HILO, HI – Behind three
all-conference performances, the Montana State-Billings
men’s golf team finished second at the Pacific West
Conference Championships. The Lady Yellowjackets finished
third and place two players on the all-conference teams.
“I was really happy with the way the
teams finished,” said Yellowjacket men’s coach Roger
Burckley, who missed the trip because of the birth of his
second son this week. “We held our own and earned some
respect in the region. We didn’t quite get the
championship we were after, but we’ll be that much
hungrier for it next year.”
The Yellowjacket men held off Western
New Mexico by one stroke to claim second place. Their
three round total of 13-over 865 is the best three-round
total in school history. The Jackets shot a school single
round record of 281 in Friday’s second round. Hawaii-Hilo
ran away with the team title with a 17-under par 835. The
Vulcans’ Nick Mason took top individual honors with a
10-under 203.
The Jackets were paced by Chris
McConnell’s third place finish. His 4-under 209 earned
him first team all-conference honors. It was the first
under-par performance in school history for a three round
tournament. Zach Abels finished in a tie for seventh with
a 4-over 217. Chris Haas tied for tenth with a 5-over
218. Both Ables and Haas earned second team
all-conference honors for finishing in the top 10. Haas
shot the tournament’s low round on Friday with a 64 before
finishing with a 78 on Saturday.
Nicholas Larson’s 10-over 223 placed
him just outside of the top 10 in a tie for fourteenth
place. Based on regular season results, Larson earned an
invitation to next week’s West/Northwest Super Regional in
South Dakota.
“Nick hit the ball well during the
tournament, but struggled a little with the greens,” said
Burckley. “It’s exciting that he will be the first
MSU Billings player to play at a regional. Really, if
this tournament had been last week, Nick and Chris
(McConnell) might both be going to the regional. They’re
definitely both deserving. Chris had a great tournament;
he just came on a week too late.”
The Lady Yellowjackets finished third
behind Western New Mexico and Hawaii-Hilo. MSUB had a
three round total of 1039. The Mustangs won with a
93-over 945. WNMU’s Katherine Dorris took top individual
honors by four strokes, finishing with a 14-over par 227.
The Jackets’ Halley Montalban and Hawaii-Hilo’s Kiilani
Matsuyoshi tied for second place with an 18-over 231.
Montalban received all-conference first team honors.
Amanda Rabenburg earned second team
honors for finishing tenth with a 257. Julie Clifford,
Nicole Salsbery and Nicole Clayton placed twelfth,
thirteenth and fourteenth respectively.
“I talked with Jeff (Nelson, head
women’s coach) and he said the women were consistent all
weekend,” said Burckley. “He was proud of the way they
played throughout the tournament. Haley did a great job.
She finished ahead of three players from Western New
Mexico who are going to the regional.”
Men’s Team Standings
1 Hawaii-Hilo, U. of 277
276 282 835 -17
2 Montana St-Billings 294 281 290
865 +13
3 Western New Mexico 295 283 288 866 +14
4 Hawaii Pacific Univ. 302 296 288
886 +34
5 BYU-Hawaii 313 307 323
943 +91
6 Chaminade University 395 384 365
1144 +292
MSU Billings Individuals
3 Chris McConnell 71 69 69 209 -4
7 Zach Abels 75 74 68 217 +4
10 Chris Haas 76 64 78 218 +5
14 Nicholas Larson 73 74 76 223
+10
20 Bryan Barthelmess 75 81 77 233 +20
Women’s Team Standings
1 Western New Mexico 311 314 320 945 +93
2 Hawaii-Hilo 335 317 328
980 +128
3 Montana St-Billings 345 345 349 1039 +187
4 BYU-Hawaii 417
399 415 1231 +379
5 Chaminade University 473
460 477 1410 +558
6 Hawaii-Pacific Univ. 501
548 513 1562 +710
MSU Billings Individuals
2 Halley Montalban 76 78 77
231 +18
10 Amanda Rabenberg 87
84 86 257 +44
12 Julie Clifford 86 94 95
275 +62
13 Nicole Salsbery 96 92 91 279
+66
14 Nicole Clayton 96 91 97 284
+71 |
