PEORIA, Ill. -- The Bradley women's golf team had some time to fine tune their game over the recently completed Fall Break and the Braves hope to continue their strong play Monday and Tuesday when they head to Springfield, Mo., for the Payne Stewart Memorial.
This year's event will move to the par-72 Highland Springs Country Club in Springfield, Mo., and will include six other Missouri Valley Conference teams in Creighton, Drake, Indiana State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois. Also included in the field are Central Arkansas, Arkansas-Little Rock, Oral Roberts, UTEP, South Dakota, South Dakota State, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and UMKC.
Bradley is coming off its first tournament win since winning the Missouri Valley Conference Preview in Panora, Iowa, in October 2008, after claiming the team title at the Butler Fall Invitational. The Braves have shot rounds of 301 in each of the last three rounds, marking the first time BU has three consecutive rounds of 301 or better in the same season.
Junior Kelly Amundrud (Calgary, Alberta/Strathcona Tweedsmuir) earned individual medalist honors to lead the Braves last time out, shooting a one-under par 143 to win the Butler Fall Invitational. Amundrud has earned MVC Golfer of the Week following each of Bradley's last two tournaments and owns a Missouri Valley Conference-leading 74.3 stroke average.
Not to be outdone, senior Breanne Neufeld (Coaldale, Alberta/Kate Andrews) owns a 75.6 stroke average this fall and is shooting 73.5 over her last four rounds. Fellow senior Caitlin Deeken (California, Mo./California) has carded four of her last five rounds in the 70's and owns a 77.6 stroke average during that time. Deeken tied for 10th at the Butler Fall Invitational for her second career top-10 finish. Junior Erin Gorman (Rockford, Ill./Boylan) has also played well, firing a career-best 77 in the opening round of the Butler Fall Invite.
Bradley has made the Payne Stewart Memorial a frequent stop over the years, playing in the event seven of the last 11 years. The Braves have claimed the tournament twice during that time (2001 & 2003) and have finished in the top four, six of the seven times in the field.
Neufeld finished second at last year's season-opening Payne Stewart Memorial, losing to individual medalist Jennifer Welch of Arkansas State on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff. Neufeld tied for 12th in the 2008 event and owns a 74.4 career stroke average in five career rounds at the Payne Stewart Memorial.
Amundrud finished eighth in the 2008 event as a freshman with rounds of 76 and 77 and boasts a 77.2 career stroke average in five rounds at the Payne Stewart Memorial.
Play begins Monday with an 8 a.m. shotgun start and will include 36 holes on the opening day of play. The tournament concludes Tuesday with one round of play also beginning with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.
