Michigan State University
Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational
Women's Golf Claims First Championship Of 1999-2000
3/14/2000 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
March 14, 2000
EAST LANSING, Mich. - A final-round 298 Tuesday lifted the Michigan State women's golf team to its fourth tournament title under third-year head coach Stacy Slobodnik and its first championship in the 1999-2000 season. All five golfers finished in the top 20 as the Spartans won the Peggy Kirk Bell Invitational in Tuscawilla, Fla., by four strokes with a two-round score of 310-298=608.
The final-round 298, MSU's third-best round of the year, helped the Spartans move up from third place after the first round at the 6,031-yard, par-72 Tuscawilla Country Club. Michigan State, 37th in the nation in the latest Golfweek/Sagarin rankings, wins its first team championship since the Wolverine Invitational, Oct. 3-4, 1998.
Junior Kasey Gant (Fort Wayne, Ind.) led the Spartans with a fourth-place individual finish, firing a five-over-par 75-76-151 to finish four strokes behind medallist Katie Bakken of Minnesota.
All four of her teammates joined her in the top 20, highlighted by sophomore Emily Bastel (Upper Sandusky, Ohio). Bastel, who fired a disappointing 82 on Monday, bounced back with the best round of the field, 71, on Tuesday. She vaulted from 46th individually after round one to a tie for eighth (82-71=153).
Junior Stacy Snider (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and freshman Jessica Till (Fort Wayne, Ind.) tied for 13th at 154. Till shot a career-low 74 on Tuesday. Redshirt freshman Shellie Morton (Detroit, Mich.) tied for 17th at 78-78=156.
Michigan State returns to action next Monday and Tuesday, March 20-21, in the River Wilderness Invitational in Parrish, Fla.
PEGGY KIRK BELL INVITATIONAL ? TUSCAWILLA C.C. ? TUSCAWILLA, FLA. ? PAR 72 ? 6,031 YARDS
TEAM STANDINGS (with top 50 Golfweek/Sagarin ranking)1. #37 MICHIGAN STATE 310-298=6082. #47 Kent 310-302=6123. Florida Southern 305-308=6134. Arkansas State 310-309=6195. #22 Indiana 315-210=6256. Minnesota 309-318=6277. Alabama-Birmingham 320-321=6418. Florida Intl. 318-325=6439. Winthrop 327-323=65010. Illinois State 328-323=65111. Rollins College 324-328=65212. Lynn 329-325=65413. Stetson 327-332=65914. Northern Illinois 337-341=67815. Longwood 352-347=699
MSU INDIVIDUALSt4. Kasey Gant 75-76=151t8. Emily Bastel 82-71=153t13. Stacy Snider 77-77=154t13. Jessica Till 80-74=154t17. Shellie Morton 78-78=156
