Jaci Kohn
Staff writer
Over Fall Break the Murray State women’s golf team will head to Lexington, Ky., to compete in the Betty Lou Evans Intercollegiate tournament hosted by the University of Kentucky. The team will play at the University Club Golf Course Friday through Sunday.
The women’s golf team is coming off a win after taking the top spot at their first tournament, hosted by the Racers, at Drake Creek Golf Course in Ledbetter, Ky., on Sept. 12 and 13.
Coach Velvet Milkman, who is in her 18th season, said she wants the team to play to its capability.
“We try not to set a number goal most of the time,” Milkman said. “Just go out to play to our potential and we know if we do that we will put ourselves into a good position in the tournament.”
Alexandra Lennartsson, junior from Nykoping, Sweden, said she wants to focus on the mental side of the game.
“(I want) to go out and play relaxed golf,” Lennartsson said. “It’s when I play the best and usually if you are relaxed the rest of the team is as well.”
Junior Ali Weaver, from Lititz, Penn., said she has her goals set for a low score.
“My goal is a 75 or below for every day,” Weaver said. “I just want to play the way I know how and to do good.”
Milkman said she believes it’s been two or three years since the Racers have competed in this event, however, she remembers the course can be difficult at some holes.
“It’s a very challenging golf course,” she said. “There are three or four holes that you really have to hit good golf shots but we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
In preparation for the tournament the team has been working on their short game, 100 yards and in, Milkman said.
“That is obviously, always a very important part of the game,” she said. “The golf course that we are going to is a demanding golf course. The greens are extremely fast and it’s important to have a good short game.”
Though it is early in the season and she hasn’t seen many of the teams yet, Milkman said the competition will be stiff. Of the 15 colleges the Racers will compete against, including University of Michigan, University of Illinois and home team University of Kentucky will be the biggest competitors.
“It’s a very strong field; I think there are several teams there that could step up and challenge for the tournament title,” she said.
Milkman said she is really excited about this year’s team and it’s early chemistry.
“The work ethic on this team is very good as well,” Milkman said. “If they continue to do what they are doing now I think that we are going to have some success this year.”
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