Skylight golfers open season shorthanded

Ryan Divish

Havre Daily News Sports Editor

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The Montana State University-Northern women's golf team will make its debut this weekend, albeit a little shorthanded.

The Skylights could possibly only have three or four golfers today when they open play at the Montana Tech Invitational at the Butte Country Club.

New Northern head coach Dave Boles is hoping to have the minimum four golfers so the Skylights can register a team score in the competition.

"You have to have four golfers to have a team score, otherwise it will only be individual scoring," he said.

As of press time, Boles wasn't completely sure on whether Northern would have four golfers.

The Skylights have had five players practicing this fall. However, senior Anita Strommen is not making the trip and junior Chelsie Searle hasn't been ruled eligible to compete because of transfer complications.

"We're still waiting on some information from Chelsie's old school," Boles said.

Boles was hoping that Chastity Wagner would rejoin the team and play in the two-day tournament. Wagner competed for Northern the last two years, but wasn't planning on playing this season.

"We're hoping Chastity decides to play," Boles said. "That would give us four, which would really be nice. Chastity is experienced enough to help us."

Boles has commitments from Julie Wagner, Heather Riener and Heather Haas to play today. Wagner was one of Havre's top scorers last season and has plenty of tournament experience. Riener played for the golf team two years ago and also has tournament experience.

For Haas, it will be her first collegiate tournament and Boles is hoping that Wagner's and Riener's experience will be beneficial.

"Julie and Heather Riener know what to expect from these tournaments," Boles said. "I'm hoping they talk with Heather Haas and help her prepare for this."

Northern will play 36 holes today and 18 holes Tuesday for the tournament.

"That's a lot of golf in two days," Boles said. "It will definitely be a learning experience."

But the whole tournament ordeal will be new to Boles, who has never been to a college golf tournament.

"I am going to be asking a lot of questions to see what I can and can't do there," Boles said. "I want to get an idea of how things work and what to expect. It's going to be a learning experience for me, too."

While the Skylights haven't gotten exactly the amount of practice Boles would like, he is treating this tournament as a way of preparing for the remaining two tourneys of the fall.

"This is a good way to see where they are at and what things they need to work on," he said. "I don't want to put a bunch of pressure on the girls because it is the first tournament."