MILWAUKEE – Two seasons are now officially completed for the Mount Mary University golf team. After a promising inaugural season, the Blue Angels backed it up this year as they raised the bar on competition and with a more diverse course selection in 2016.
Jacqlyn Artman (Fr./ Eldorado, Ill.) led the Blue Angels this season with an average round score of 109.17. Not surprisingly, with the lowest team average the freshman led the team's scorecard in every event this season. Her best 18 holes came at Highland Park Country Club when Artman turned in a third place finish and a 101 score.
In the short two year history of MMU golf, only one other Blue Angel finished with a 101 or higher; Michelle Argenzio ('16) finished with a 100 and 101. The top round for Artman (101) came late in the season against Lake Forest then was followed up with another strong 105 round at the home Currie Park Golf Course. Artman also finished the 2016 season as the only Blue Angel to participate in all six events.
Filling out their cards five times each in the 2016 season, Peyton Davis (So./Tracy, Calif.), Madison Ledda (So./Tracy, Calif.) and Courtney Furlow (So./Appleton, Wis.) consistently hit the links for MMU. All three routinely finished their respective rounds in the 120-130 range.
Davis led that trio with two top five finishes and a 121.6 average per 18 holes. The sophomore's best round came at Currie Park Golf Course in the last event of the 2016 season. Davis finished the year tearing three strokes off the front nine to end the round with a 113. Just one spot outside of the top five against the highly ranked Carthage College Lady Reds.
Ledda finished behind Davis in nearly every event. With her consistent 124.2 average, Ledda continually finished in the middle of the pack. Ledda's top finish came in the season's opener as she ended the round in sixth place and a season's best 122 score. The second best finish on the day for the Blue Angels was a big reason that MMU finished second out of the three teams at the event.
Courtney Furlow routinely came through for the Blue Angels this season as well. Finishing five of the six events for MMU, Furlow's 129.3 average solidified multiple rounds for the Blue Angels including her highest place finish of 6th against the Inferno in MMU's lone first place finish of the season.
Rounding out the roster for the 2016 Blue Angels, Ariel Oviedo (Sr./Shawano, Wis.), Katie Swofford (So./West Allis, Wis.) and Taylor Yordt (So./Omaha, Neb.) all joined the MMU for at least two rounds on the links.
Yordt's two rounds earned her an average of 114.0 per round and one top five finish. Oviedo attended three events for MMU and finished in the top ten twice with
her 130.33 average score on the season. Swofford's two events gave her a 144.0 stroke average per 18 holes.
As a team, the Blue Angels finished one dual match in first place, and one three team event in second. Although a few first place finishes behind their 2015 season, Blue Angels Golf took on six different NCAA institutions in their second season, including some of the region's top teams.
Competing on more courses and tougher tee placements, the 2016 Blue Angels as a team were just four strokes behind their inaugural campaign which had a team average score of 478.5.
Now the Blue Angels will continue to work on their respective games in the offseason to prepare for the 2017 season. Make sure you pay close attention to mtmaryathletics.com for any updates on players, schedules and news for up to date information.
