BYU on top after round one of Bobcat Classic

GOODYEAR -- After a couple of uneven outings, the BYU women's golf team was back on track Monday, sitting in first place after round one at the Bobcat Desert Classic.

Freshman Rachel Newren--the youngest of the Newren sister trio of Natalie, Nicole, and Rachel--led the Cougars (301) on the first 18 holes of play, shooting a 74 and tying for fifth place in the individual standings.

"It was a solid effort all around," BYU head coach Sue Nyhus said. "It was a steady effort by everyone."

Margaret Gibby and Alexis Edwards came in right behind Newren with a 75, good enough for eighth place overall. Natalie just missed the top 20, coming in 21st as she shot 77. Nicole rounded out the Cougars' five with a 79.

The Bobcat Classic, although played in Goodyear, Ariz., is a two-day, 36-hole event hosted by Montana State. The venue is a 6,050-yard, par-72 course at the Palm Valley Golf Club.

Nyhus said she anticipates a strong finish from her team on Tuesday.

"I expect us to be aggressive tomorrow," she said. "Our goal here is to gain confidence and we are on our way."

BYU, who is currently ranked 60th in the nation by golfweek.com, is the top-ranked team in a field of the following 17 teams: Boise State, Oral Roberts, SW Missouri State, Montana State, Montana, Eastern Washington, Wyoming, Sacramento State, Weber State, Northern Arizona, Western Michigan, University of Toledo, Campbell, Cal Riverside, Idaho State, Grand Canyon, and Western New Mexico.

Nyhus said BYU would not play down to the level of its competition.

"We play against ourselves and we don't focus on others," she said. "All we can do is play our best golf."

BYU finished 12th in the Texas A&M Mo-morial last week in College Station, Texas.

Northern Arizona, the winner of last year's tournament, sits in 13th place. Riverside's Lindsay Snowden was the top individual player Monday, shooting one-under-par.

Bobcat Desert Classic        Goodyear, Ariz.
March 8-9, 2004              Palm Valley Golf Club
Par: 72                      Yardage: 6,050
Fin. Name                    Score
  1  BYU                     301       (+13)
T 5  Rachel Newren           38-36--74 (+2)
T 8  Margaret Gibby          36-39--75 (+3)
T 8  Alexis Edwards          39-36--75 (+3)
T 21 Natalie Newren          39-38--77 (+5)
T 41 Nicole Newren-Chandler  41-38--79 (+7)
Fin. Team                    Score
  1  BYU                     301 (+13)
  2  Boise State             303 (+15)
T 3  Toledo                  304 (+16)
T 3  Western New Mexico      304 (+16)
T 5  Western Michigan        307 (+19)
T 5  Weber State             307 (+19)
  7  Sacramento State        310 (+22)
T 8  Eastern Washington      312 (+24)
T 8  Cal Riverside           312 (+24)
  10 SW Missouri State       314 (+26)
  11 Oral Roberts            317 (+29)
  12 North Texas             318 (+30)
  13 Northern Arizona        320 (+32)
  14 Montana State           324 (+36)
  15 Montana                 325 (+37)
  16 Idaho State             329 (+41)
  17 Wyoming                 338 (+50)
  18 Grand Canyon            359 (+71)
    
Fin. Name                    School                  Score
  1  Lindsay Snowden         Cal Riverside           39-32--71
  2  Marci Hoover            Weber State             38-34--72   
T 3  Sara Boogard            Toledo                  36-37--73
T 3  Courtney O'Neill        Cal Riverside           36-37--73
T 5  Rachel Newren           BYU                     38-36--74
T 5  Jasi Acharya            Montana                 37-37--74
T 5  Jennifer Hedberg        Boise State             37-37--74
T 8  Ashley Hogg             Boise State             37-38--75  
T 8  Kristen Kennedy         Western New Mexico      35-40--75
T 8  Margaret Gibby          BYU                     36-39--75
T 8  Amanda Fisher           Oral Roberts            35-40--75
T 8  Breanne Hall            Toledo                  35-40--75  
T 8  Katharine Dorris        Western New Mexico      36-39--75
T 8  Erin Thorn              Western Michigan        36-39--75
T 8  Alexis Edwards          BYU                     39-36--75
T 8  Carlie Allen            Eastern Washington      37-38--75
T 17 Jeanie Bagnell          Eastern Washington      37-39--76
T 17 Caitlan Roschek         Western Michigan        40-36--76
T 17 Kim Cammer              Western New Mexico      37-39--76
T 17 Margaux Sheehan         Sacramento State        36-40--76