September 30, 1998

Columbia, Mo. - Tigers Head to Austin for Big 12 Fall Preview

The University of Missouri womens golf team heads South this weekend to play in the 3rd annual Big 12 Fall Preview, to be held Oct. 3-4 at Circle C Golf Club in Austin, Texas.

All 12 conference schools will contend for the title, which was won last year in Columbia by Oklahoma State.

Three Big 12 teams are currently ranked in the latest MasterCard/Rolex Collegiate Golf Rankings: Texas (No. 9), Texas A&M (No. 12) and Oklahoma State (No. 13). There are also three individuals ranked among the nations top 25: Laura Blessey of Texas (No. 22), Jo Jo Robertson of Oklahoma State (No. 23) and Salimah Mussani of Texas (No. 25).

TOURNAMENT INFORMATION

DATE: Oct. 3-4, 1998

SITE: Circle C Golf Course (Austin, Texas)

PAR: 72

YARDAGE: 6,859 yards

FORMAT: 54 holes contested over two days (36 on Saturday, 18 on Sunday). Each team will play with five golfers. The top four scores from each day of competition will count towards the team total.

TEAMS: 12 teams: Baylor, Colorado, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, MISSOURI, Nebraska, Oklahoma, #13 Oklahoma State, #9 Texas, #12 Texas A&M and Texas Tech.

TIMES: Tee times will begin at 8:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 8 a.m. on Sunday

 #	#	18	Low	54	Low	Best
Tiger	 Tourn.	Rds.	Avg.	Round	Avg.	54	Finish
Stefanie MITCHELL	2	5	73.60	70	216.0	216	T-2
Amelia MOSES	 2	5	75.20	70	227.0	227	2
Nisha SADEKAR	 1	3	76.33	74	229.0	229	T-15
Jamie TUCKER	 2	5	76.40	74	229.0	229	T-6
Tobi PROBST	 2	5	76.60	74	232.0	232	3
Letitia MOSES	 1	2	79.00	78	n/a	n/a	T-17
Jill ROSEN	 1	2	80.00	79	n/a	n/a	T-25

About the Tigers

The Fall Preview will be MUs third tournament of the fall season, and Head Coach Tom Loyd likes what hes seen so far from his squad.

"Each of the first two tournaments, every round has been solid," he said. "Weve been from 293 to 303 in every round as a team, and thats about as consistent as weve been at any other time," he said.

Loyd will use his third different lineup this fall, as MU will be represented by Stefanie Mitchell, Amelia Moses, Letitia Moses, Tobi Probst and Nisha Sadekar. All except Sadekar, who is a freshman, have Big 12 Fall Preview experience.

"Everyone has played reasonably well to very well to this point," said Loyd of the above lineup. "The potential to play better is certainly there, and this is an important tournament for us. We get to play against several top-25 teams, and if we can be towards the top when its all over, well have a chance to get into the rankings ourselves," he said.

As far as pre-tournament favorites, Loyd thinks the host Longhorns could be tough to beat. "Texas has a very good team," he said. "Theyre a little young, but are very strong from top to bottom. They should be awfully tough to beat, playing on a familiar course. I think well play well, and should have a chance at staying with them," Loyd said.

Tiger Individuals

Playing in the No. 1 spot for Missouri is senior STEFANIE MITCHELL. The winner of two tournaments last season, Mitchell is off to a good start again this fall. The Cameron, Ill. native has finished 2nd and 4th in her two outings thus far, and should challenge for medalist honors in Austin. Mitchell is averaging 73.60 per round this fall, and in a tie for 6th place at the 1997 Big 12 Fall Preview, five strokes off the lead.

"Stefanie has been in position to win each of the previous two tournaments heading into the final nine holes," said Loyd. "That has happened for her yet, but shes playing her usual steady golf. Her chances of winning are strong, but shell have to play well against such a tough field," he said.

The Tigers No. 2 spot is filled by sophomore AMELIA MOSES. The younger of MUs Moses sisters, Amelia is averaging 75.20 per round this fall, and was co-medalist at the season opener in Normal, Ill. (Redbird Classic), where she shot a two-round 149 (76-73). Shes coming off a career-low round of 70, shot in the final round at Nebraskas Chip-N-Club Invite, where she finished tied for 11th overall (77-80-70=227). Moses tied for 20th at last years Fall Preview, shooting rounds of 74-81-82 for a total of 237.

"Amelia is hitting the ball really well right now," said Loyd. "The first two tournaments, she actually didnt hit the ball all that well, but she was outstanding in her putting," he said. "If she can put the two together, she can be right up there," he said.

Another Tiger who can challenge for medalist honors is senior LETITIA MOSES. Moses, who has won two collegiate events in her MU career, played in MUs season opener at Illinois State, and was a little off her game, finishing in a tie for 17th (80-78=158). She tied for 6th at the 1997 Fall Preview, with a 230 total (75-78-77), which put her just five strokes back of the lead.

"Letitia didnt play particularly well her first time out," said Loyd. "She made some swing changes in the off-season, and had some trouble bringing that to the course. But she is looking good on the practice tee, and shes hitting the ball as well as Ive seen her ever hit it right now, so Im excited to see her play," said Loyd.

The No. 4 player for Missouri will be junior TOBI PROBST. A veteran of both previous Big 12 Fall Previews (T-30th in 1997, T-52nd in 1996), Probst enters the 98 tournament playing the best golf of her MU career. Shes averaging 76.60 per round in five rounds thus far, and tied for third at the season opener, with a two-round total of 151 (77-74).

"Tobi is playing the best golf of her life right now," said Loyd. "Shes had to bring her golf up a notch just to make the team every tournament, and that says a lot about her competitiveness," he said.

Rounding out the Tiger contingent in Austin will be freshman NISHA SADEKAR. Sadekar made her collegiate debut two weeks ago at Nebraska, and turned in a solid performance, tying for 15th place with rounds of 80-74-75, for a total of 229.

"Nisha has played very steady," said Loyd. "Its a really good sign for your team when your No. 5 player can be that steady, and even score for you at times. That takes a little pressure off everyone knowing that she can step in there," he said.

Head Coach Tom Loyd

Tiger head coach Tom Loyd is in his first year as head coach for his alma mater. Loyd, a longtime assistant for both the Tiger men's and women's programs, took over in July for Mary Scott, who resigned her position in May.

For the past six-and-a-half years, Loyd has been involved with the women's golf team as an assistant coach, helping the Tigers develop into a program of national prominence. That includes a one-year stint as interim head coach for the 1992-93 season, when Scott took a year off from coaching. Loyd has also assisted with the men's program since 1977, giving him over 20 years of experience instructing MU golfers.

A native of Carthage, Mo., Loyd was a four-year letterman as a golfer at Mizzou, playing for the Tigers from 1969-72. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1972 through 1974, he returned to MU to complete his degree in mathematics, which he earned in 1975.