Missouri
Mason Rudolph Championship
Women's Golf Back to Tournament Play This Weekend
9/19/2019 2:38:00 PM | Women's Golf
Tigers Gunning for Mason Rudolph Challenge Title
COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The 2019-20 fall season continues this week, as the Mizzou Women's Golf team heads to Franklin, Tenn. for its second tournament of the season. The Tigers will participate in the Mason Rudolph Championship for the second-consecutive year. Mizzou finished 13th last year in the tournament hosted by Vanderbilt and played on the Vanderbilt Legends Club (North Course), host of the 2012 NCAA Women's Championship (par 72/6,400 yards). The tournament begins Friday, Sept. 20 and will conclude Sunday, Sept. 22.
Head Coach Stephanie Priesmeyer is excited about seeing her team back out in competition. "This is a great tournament to be part of, they always have great teams here so it is a fantastic opportunity to compete against the top players in the country," she said.
The Tigers played a practice round today on the North Course, and Priesmeyer said that despite little rain in the area lately, it played nicely. "It is in great shape, with the lack of rain the course is firm and the greens are fast," she said. "The greens are the key on this course, we have to hit approach shots in the right spot because of the collection areas and false fronts that present a lot of challenges. The team is excited to go to work," she said.
Junior transfer Noelle Beijer (Assendelft, The Netherlands) headlines the Black & Gold lineup, and she will play in the number one spot in just her second appearance as a Tiger. She excelled in her first career start as a Tiger earlier this month, leading the team while shooting both rounds under par (70-71=141) and finishing sixth individually at the Minnesota Invitational.
Beijer will have a special honor in the Mason Rudolph Challenge, as she will carry the Folds of Honor bag that celebrates the life of 1st Lieutenant William Anthony Edens, a Mizzou grad who was killed during service in Iraq on April 28, 2005. Throughout the course of this season, a designated member of the Tiger lineup will carry a special golf bag embroidered with Lt. Edens' name. The team asks that fans consider pledging a dollar amount for every birdie made this season by the Tiger carrying Lt. Edens' bag (one-time flat donations are also certainly welcomed).
For more information on 1st Lt. Edens and how to donate to the season-long fundraiser, please visit www.MUTigers.com/FoldsOfHonor.
The second spot in the Tiger lineup belongs to freshman Sophia Yoemans (Red Wing, Minn.). Yoemans' first career collegiate start came just 40 miles away from her hometown. She used the familiarity to her advantage, posting a pair of 76s on her way to a tie for 53rd and the second-best score on the team.
Another Mizzou newcomer will make her second career start on Friday. Freshman Bri Bolden (Mokenna, Ill.) occupies the third spot in Head Coach Stephanie Priesmeyer's lineup. Bolden finished with a 36-hole score of 156 that placed her in a tie for 72nd in Minnesota.
Making her return to the lineup is senior Cherise Otter (Bloomington, Ind.), who will earn her first start of the season. The former top-ranked high school golfer in the state of Indiana was limited last season due to nagging wrist issues. Despite her injury, Otter had two top 25 finishes, including finishing tied for sixth at the Johnie Imes. She will start in the fourth spot in Tennessee - the only golfer in the starting lineup that played in the Mason Rudolph Championship last year.
Rounding out the Mizzou lineup is sophomore Julia Bower (Columbia, Mo.). Bower also finished with a 36-hole score of 156 and tied for 72nd in the Minnesota Invitational. After redshirting during her first year as a Tiger, Bower averaged 77.4 strokes per round in several individual performances. This will be her second career start in the Black & Gold lineup.
For all the latest on Mizzou Women's Golf, stay tuned to www.MUTigers.com and follow the team on Twitter (@MUWomensGolf) and on Facebook at MizzouWomensGolf.
