The Hawkeyes will compete in the Pinehurst Challenge beginning today.

By Jake Mosbach
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Today, the Iowa women’s golf team will begin the final tournament of the fall season when it competes in the Pinehurst Challenge in Pinehurst, North Carolina.

The 54-hole tournament will span two days, with the first 36 holes to be played today and the final round concluding on Tuesday. Both days will begin with a 7:30 a.m. (CDT) shotgun start.The Hawkeyes will be part of a 20-team field.

Senior Amy Ihm, who has been a team leader both on and off the course for the Hawks this season, will have the lineup’s No. 1 spot. Junior Jessie Sindlinger, sophomore Jessica Ip, sophomore Elisa Suarez, and freshman Kristin Glesne will round out the lineup.

“We are very excited to be playing at a course like Pinehurst,” she said. “It is always fun to play in historic places and to see the history of the game all around you.”

There are concerns regarding the condition of the 5,949-yard course, however. Hurricane Joaquin drilled much of the East Coast last weekend, including North Carolina.

“Hopefully, the course has dried out,” Menzel said. “I know that part of the country has gotten a ton of rain recently, so we’ll see.”

At last week’s Aggie Invitational, the Hawks improved their team standing each day. After the first round, they sat 11th. After the second round, the team had improved to seventh. The Hawkeyes eventually earned fourth.

Ihm said that the determination and patience she and the lineup displayed were crucial. The same quality of play will be necessary again this week at a very treacherous Pinehurst Resort Course No. 1.

“As a team, I’m so proud of the way we came back,” Ihm said. “I stayed patient and just tried to give myself good opportunities.”

While it may be difficult to adequately prepare for a tournament with such a short break [the Aggie Invitational concluded Oct. 7], assistant coach Mike Roters said the team’s preparation for the tournament would be the key.

“During the practice round, we come up with a game plan for the course,” Roters said. “We’re usually very confident in that plan; then, it’s up to them to execute that plan.”

With the last tournament of the fall season on the horizon, Menzel has been impressed with the Hawkeyes’ play.

“Our team has played so well,” she said. “I’m not really focused on where we’ve finished in these tournaments but more importantly on how each one of our players has progressed throughout the season.”

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