Golfweek: Confident Spartans Off To Record Start
10/16/2009 12:00:00 AM | Women's Golf
Oct. 16, 2009
By Julie Williams, Golfweek
Sometimes the best thing in golf is an uneventful Sunday.
Michigan State carried an 11-stroke lead into the final round of the Tar Heel Invitational in Chapel Hill N.C., and much to coach Stacy Slobodnik-Stoll's delight left with a 12-shot victory.
"Sunday could have been an interesting day," she said, "and they made it not interesting."
With the victory, Michigan State catapulted themselves up the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings into the No. 5 spot. The team's previous high was a No. 14 ranking for the 2000-01 season.
The Spartans' three-day total of 4-under 860 also set the 54-hole school record.
Slobodnik-Stoll was impressed but not surprised. The team talked seriously about winning in their pre-tournament meeting, and she knows there is plenty of firepower in the lineup with all of last year's starters having returned from last season.
"They're making history, and that's pretty exciting," Slobodnik-Stoll said.
Each Michigan State player recorded at least one round under par at the Finley Golf Course, Slobodnik-Stoll pointing to a high percentage of greens in regulation as a key to their success. She expects all of her players to contribute regularly to the team score and said her squad is on track to reach all of its goals this season, which would culminate with a top-10 finish at the national championship.
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