Dec. 16, 2002

During the fall of 2002, the Missouri women's golf team saw many changes, with the biggest being the make-up of its team members. With the addition of four new freshmen, the Tigers saw their scores drop and their success rise at tournaments.

Newcomers to the 2002-03 squad include St. Charles, Mo., native Kelli Strubinger who averaged 77.3 for five events. Strubinger's career best score was even par 72 at the Mason Rudolph Championship hosted by Vanderbilt University. She also garnered her best tournament finish at Vanderbilt where she posted a three round total of 79-72-74 (225) for a strong 12th-place finish in the highly ranked event.

Stephanie Turner from Martinsville, Ind., made an immediate impact for the Tigers averaging 78.2 for the fall season. Turner's career best score came in the final round of the Edwin Watts/Palmetto Invitational in Kiawah Island, S.C. Turner birdied her last hole to finish with an even par 72. Turner's earned her finest fall tournament finish during her first collegiate event in Lincoln, Neb., where she finished 12th scoring 75-76-80 after three rounds. She came back to top the feat earning her lowest three round total at the Adidas Fall Classic in Port St. Lucie, Fla., when she recorded a 75-74-80 for a 229 total.

Rounding out the freshman travel squad fall, Denise Knaebel of Moberly, Mo., competed in four events and averaged 78.4 strokes per outing. Knaebel's posted a career best score during her last outing of the year in Kiawah Island, S.C. Her one under par score of 71 helped the Tigers move into a 5th-place team finish. The feat came on the heels of Knaebel's highest finish the three-round lowest score of the 2002 falls season when she placed 14th with scores of 76-76-73 (225) at the Shoot-out at the Legends in Franklin, Ind.

"We have had tremendous success with our freshmen class this year," Head Coach Stephanie Cooper said. "The thing I love about these players is that they work so hard on their games and they really push each other in practice and at our tournaments. These new players coming in have made each upperclassman a much better player as well. The competition is so tough in practice that every player has stepped up their game to the next level."

Aiding the freshman class, the three veterans returning this fall were sophomores Mindy Bullard of Warrensburg, Mo., Maria Ohlsson of Vetlanda, Sweden, and lone senior Elin Ohlsson also from Vetlanda, Sweden.

Bullard played in five events during the fall and finished the season with a 78.6 average setting a new standard over her previous season's mark of 83.2. In addition to taking five strokes from her game, Bullard reestablished her career low round at the Shoot-Out at the Legends when she birdied the last two holes to shoot an even par 72. The mark also helped Bullard earn her career three round low posting a 79-72-79 (229). Not stopping there, Bullard also bulls-eyed her career best finish at the Chip-N-Club Invitational when she finished tied in 10th-place with a 74-78-78 (230).

Saving the best for last, Maria Ohlsson rounded out the fall expedition recording her career best finish and three-round low at the Edwin Watts/Palmetto Invitational. Ohlsson posted one under par with a 71 and followed the round up scoring a 76 and 73 to finish tied for 10th with a 220 three-round total. Setting up for the finale, Ohlsson recorded her career best score in the first event of the year in when she carded a four under par 68. Beginning with a bang and ending with a salute, Ohlsson averaged 76.7 strokes during her sophomore fall season to top her freshman mark of 83.4.

Rounding out the team, senior Elin Ohlsson completed the fall season on a high note when she was named Big XII Golfer of the Month for October. Ohlsson averaged 74.6 during the fall campaign compared taking 2.6 strokes from her mark last year (76.2). Ohlsson recorded her season low round at the Mason Rudolph Championships where she carded a one under par 71. Ohlsson also set a career mark scoring a three-round 219 with rounds of 74-72-73 to finish 4th at the Adidas Fall Classic. Her season low finish was recorded at the Chip-N-Club Invitational when she tied for 3rd with a 74-72-75.

In addition to setting each setting personal feats, the Tigers efforts combined to set a Mizzou record scoring a combined 291 round in the final day of the Edwin Watts/Palmetto Invitational. That mark shaved off two strokes and toppled the previous record set in 1998 Tigers that shot 293 at Lincoln, Neb.

Following up on a successful fall campaign, the Tigers are looking to get back into action starting February 22, when they head to the Central District Invitational in Parrish, Fla. From Florida, Missouri travels to Puerto Rico anticipating a good showing at the Puerto Rico Classic hosted by Purdue University.