Indiana University Athletics
IU Ready To Compete At Lady Buckeye Invitational
4/18/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
April 18, 2006
Lady Buckeye Invitational 4/22/06
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BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The Indiana women's golf team will travel to Dublin, Ohio, where it will compete at the 54-hole Lady Buckeye Invitational on April 22-23. This marks the fifth time in the last six years the Hoosiers will compete at the event. The Hoosiers have played in the Lady Buckeye a total of 11 times (1987-90-91-92-93-95-00-01-02-03-05), winning it on three occasions (1987, 1990 and 1995).
The Field
Joining the Hoosiers at the Lady Buckeye Invitational will be eight Big Ten teams in Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin. Additionally, Auburn, Florida, Georgia State, Kent State and LSU will compete in the 54-hole, two-day event.
Lindgren Has Career-Best Finish
Freshman Amber Lindgren had an impressive performance at Illini Spring Invitational on April 14-15. Playing as an individual, Lindgren closed the 36-hole event with a round of 74 - the second-lowest 18-hole mark in her IU career - and finished with a 153 (79-74). The score tied them for 10th overall, marking the first top-10 finish of her career. Her previous career-best finish came at the Lady Northern Invitational on Sept. 24-25, where she tied for 23rd overall.
Peaking At The Right Time
With just one tournament remaining (The Lady Buckeye Invitational on April 22-23) prior to hosting the Big Ten Championships on April 28-30, Indiana is peaking at the right time. The Hoosiers averaged a team score of 318.2 through the opening two tournaments this spring. Over its last two tournaments, however, IU has dropped its per-round average by 10 strokes to 308.2.
Hoosiers Tie For Season-Best Finish
Behind the strong and steady play of senior Shannon Johnson, the Indiana women's golf team finished fifth overall in the 16-team field at the 2006 Illini Spring Invitational, carding a 620 (314-306) in the 36-hole event. It tied the season-best finish for the Hoosiers, who also placed in fifth overall at the Lady Northern Invitational on Sept. 24-25.
Johnson began the event's second day in a tie for fourth overall, but shot even par on Saturday on the par-72, 5,864-yard Stone Creek Golf Course. It marked the third time over her last five rounds the Sioux Falls, S.D., native shot par or better. The second-place finish also marked the fourth time this season Johnson finished among the top five in a tournament, including two victories (Notre Dame Invitational on Sept. 10-11 and the UNLV Spring Invitational on March 13-15).
Johnson became one of four Hoosiers to break 80 on the final day of the tournament. Sophomore Elaine Harris shot a 76 over the final 18 holes, and finished tied for 19th overall with a 156 (80-76). Freshman Tiffany Hockensmith tied her career-low round with a 77 to finish in a tie for 40th with a 161 (84-77). Junior Jenny Kim became the fourth Hoosier to place in the top 40, coming in tied for 31st with a 159 (78-81). Senior Molly Redfearn closed out the scoring Hoosiers with a 165 (81-84).
Johnson Claims UNLV Spring Invitational, National Player of the Week Honors
Senior Shannon Johnson blistered the Boulder Creek Golf Course with her second round of 68 in three days, to run away with medalist honors with a school record of five-under par 211 (68-75-68) at the UNLV Spring Invitational. For her efforts, the No. 47 nationally-ranked women's golfer in the country earned Golfweek and Golfworld's National Women's Player of the Week, as well as Big Ten Women's Player of the Week accolades.
The Sioux Falls, S.D., native topped the former three-round school record of 212, set by former All-American Karen Dennison at the 2002 Shootout at the Legends. Johnson also became the first IU golfer in school lore to record two separate rounds of 68 in the same tournament. Additionally, Johnson became the second Hoosier in school history to record rounds of 69 or below twice in her career (Dennison). The victory marked Johnson's second of the 2005-06 campaign. She also captured medalist honors at the Notre Dame Invitational on Sept. 11.
On A Streak
After two events played during the spring season, senior Shannon Johnson and sophomore Elaine Harris are both riding impressive streaks from the fall season of sub-80 rounds. Johnson has not had a round of 80 or higher, meaning she has recorded 25 consecutive rounds of under 80. Harris has been just as hot for the Hoosiers. After shooting above 80 through the first four rounds of the 2005 fall season, the San Francisco, Calif., native has carded a sub-80 round in 16 of her last 19 rounds. On the season, Johnson's 74.28 stroke average leads the team, while Harris' 77.80 per round is second-best.
Record Pace
Senior Shannon Johnson is looking to leave her mark on the IU record books. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native is averaging a 74.28 per 18 holes during the 2005-06 campaign. Should that pace continue, Johnson will be one of just four women's golfers in school history to average below 75.00 during a season. In addition to her record-breaking performance at the UNLV Spring Invitational, her name is also found in the school record books. Her 36-round score of 143 at the Shootout at the Legends on Oct. 10-11, 2005 tied for the ninth-best 36-hole mark in school history.
Below is a break down of the top-10 single-season averages in school history and where Johnson would rank if the trend continues:
Avg. Player Rds. Season
1. 73.92 Erika Wicoff 38 1994-95
2. 73.94 Karen Dennison 32 2002-03
3. 74.28 Shannon Johnson 19 2005-06
4. 74.73 Erin Carney 40 1997-98
5. 75.06 Danah Ford 33 2003-04
6. 75.23 Erin Carney 31 1998-99
7. 75.34 Natalie Tucker 32 2000-01
8. 75.38 Karen Dennison 34 2003-04
9. 75.63 Natalie Tucker 32 1999-00
10. 75.78 Erika Wicoff 36 1993-94
Johnson Ranked Among Nation's Best
Indiana senior golfer Shannon Johnson is ranked among the nation's top 50 players according to Golfstat's latest national rankings. Johnson enters this week at No. 41 in the nation after capturing the 2006 medalist honors at the UNLV Spring Invitational on March 13-15 and a second-place finished at the Illini Spring Invitational on April 14-15. Additionally, the Sioux Falls, S.D., native has climbed to No. 5 among Division I golfers in the Central Region.
"This is something I have continually strived for through hard work," Johnson said. "Coach (Clint) Wallman has incorporated practicing on the golf course a lot more this semester and I think that has helped my game. I just want to keep building momentum each tournament and keep learning as much as I can to build more confidence heading into our last tournaments and the Big Ten Championships."
Looking For A Birdie
As the spring season continues, senior Shannon Johnson leads the team, accumulating 54 birdies during the 2005-06 campaign. That number not only leads the team, but ranks 26th in the country as well. As a team, the Hoosiers have connected on 148 birdies this year. That number ranks 58th-best in the country.
