The women’s golf team entered last weekend with a golden opportunity to beat a top-20 team in Carroll University not once, but twice.
Friday, the ’Hawks hosted their annual Spring Fling played at Riverside Golf Course in Janesville. The team won the entire event posting a team score of 336.
Carroll University ended up with a 366 total, taking fourth place behind UW-Stevens Point (349) and Carthage College (356).
Coach Brett Weber said being able to host the event gave his team an advantage.
“We’re just more comfortable with the setting out there,” Weber said. “It is a home advantage and I feel like we should win when we’re out there.”
Several ’Hawks finished near the top of the leaderboard Friday, including junior Nicole Wescott and freshman Megan Ramp. Wescott finished second with a score of 81 and Ramp finished tied for fourth, shooting an 84.
At the top of the leaderboard however, was freshman Claudia Rhein, who shot an 80 for the day.
Rhein’s score didn’t factor into UW-Whitewater’s team score because the team had more members playing than it needed to, so Rhein ended up competing as an individual.
“I was happy for [Rhein] because I know she has the talent and ability,” Weber said. “It wasn’t a shock for me to see her post a great round like that.”
After the 30 stroke victory over Carroll on Friday, the ’Hawks travelled to Carroll University just two days later to participate in the Carroll Invite.
The team finished the weekend off strong winning the event with a team score of 326, which finished 16 strokes ahead of the Pioneers.
Wescott and Ramp ended up finishing atop the leaderboard, both shooting 80s on the day. Their totals had them tied for first.
“It was the best I’ve played all year,” Ramp said. “Everything was working out that day and it just felt natural.”
Wescott and Ramp have been finishing high in events for the ’Hawks all year long. As far as averages go, Weber said Wescott and Ramp finished first and second on the team for the year.
“Coming in as a freshman, [Ramp] started at probably the seven or eight spot in the fall and ended up with the second best average,” Weber said. “She just got better and better as the year went along, and became a student of the game, which as a coach is very gratifying.”
For Wescott, Weber said he knew she was frustrated with how the spring panned out but she worked hard on her game and will be a leader next year.
The ’Hawks finish out the year competing in the Robert Morris Spring Invite in Waukegan, Illinois this Friday. The Invite will be the last competition before Nationals, which runs from May 8-11.