Women's Golf | October 08, 2017

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan golf team is set to wrap up the fall portion of its season as it heads to Eastern Michigan for the Shirley Spork EMU Invitational on Monday and Tuesday at Eagle Crest Golf Club.

The Broncos are part of a 10-team field that includes Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Cleveland State, Marshall, Oakland, Ohio, Dayton, Youngstown State and the host Eagles. Eagle Crest measures out to 6,127 yards and is a par of 72.

This inaugural tournament is named after former professional golfer Shirley Spork. Spork was the first female inducted into EMU's E-Club Hall of Fame in 1981. She formed the LPGA's Teaching and Club Professional Division, along with Marilynn Smith, Betty Hicks and Barbara Rotvig. Spork was the first LPGA professional to conduct clinics in foreign countries and was a two-time LPGA Teacher of the Year.

Western Michigan is looking to end the fall portion of its season on a high note after finishing in third place at the KZoo Classic at its home course, The Moors Golf Club in Portage. WMU will see four of the six teams that competed in the KZoo Classic this week in Ypsilanti. BGSU had finished in first place ahead of Central Michigan and the Broncos. Ohio claimed fourth and EMU took fifth.

Through three meets so far the Broncos have had a close battle for the top golfer on the team. Senior Julia Champion currently has a team-low average of 76.22. Champion finished in fifth place at the KZoo Classic with a season-low total of 226. Junior Claire Hernandez has averaged 76.78 so far and has a season-low of 219 at the Ball State Cardinal Classic, where she finished in third place.

WMU resumes play on Feb. 5-6 at the Mid-American Match Play Challenge in Lakewood Ranch, Fla., hosted by Bowing Green. The Broncos then head to their second home, Rio Verde, Ariz., for the Rio Verde Invitational on Feb. 23-25.