The Master's men's and women's golf teams started off their season at the Northwest Iowa National Invitational Monday and Tuesday, with Hannah Ulibarri winning the individual title on the women's side.
Ulibarri, announced Monday as the recipient of the Dr. LeRoy Walker Student Athlete of Character Award from the NAIA, shot a 3-round total of 12-under 204 (a record for the 54-hole tournament) at the par-72 Willow Creek Golf Club in Le Mars, Iowa. She won by three strokes with rounds of 69-66-69.
"I think it says alot about Hannah," said TMU Head Coach Luke Brueckner. "She was doing everything well. It's hard to shoot 12-under and not do every aspect of the game pretty well. But for Hannah, it doesn't matter what she shoots. She could have come in dead last or first, her attitude always stays the same. That says a lot about her character."
The men's team finished their 3-round tournament at 5-over and in 9th place out of the 14 teams competing. Most of the NAIA Pre-Season Top 10 teams were playing in the tournament, including No. 2 Oklahoma City and No. 5 MidAmerica Nazarene.
TMU's men's team is ranked No. 13.
"Definitely a strong field," Brueckner said. "But I'm proud of how they played. They didn't have their best stuff in round one (290) but bounced back in rounds two (280) and three (287) and put together some good rounds. Jacob (Janho) led us in that. His round one was not good (77), but he shot 7-under for his last 36 holes (68, 67)."
The women's team finished their 54 holes at 64-over, good for eighth place. In the second round, the team score of 306 was the lowest round in women's golf team history, and that was accomplished with just four players on the squad.
"I'm super excited for the team," Brusckner said. "The potential is very high for the ladies, that is for sure."
Following Ulibarri, Susan Tiffner finished with a 54-hole score of 10-over, good for T21. Halle Hagberg finished T40 and Reece Banjamin came in 42nd.
The top individual finisher on the Mustangs men's side was junior Wes Opliger, who finished T14 with a 3-round total of 3-under 210 (70-68-72). The men played the course at a par-71.
"It seemed like after last year (Wes) didn't have his best stuff," Brueckner said. "But he came back from the summer after putting in a lot of work on his game. His drive is there and he proved this week he is one of the better players in the NAIA."
Janho finished with a 1-under 212 and finished T23.
Seth Bishop tallied 1-over 214 for T32 and Charles Pollock rounded out the TMU men's team scoring with a 10-over 223.
Both teams will next play in Solvang, Calif. at the TMU Danish Classic on Oct. 6-7. It is the Mustangs's home tournament for the fall.
