Grunden Sets School Records, Leads Worldlink Fall Classic

Monday, September 13

Denton, Texas

All Day

Bowling Green State University

Worldlink Fall Classic

September 13, 2010 | Women's Golf

Falcons Seventh After 36 Holes

By: by Matthew Daley, Athletic Communications Intern

Bid on the current items in the Falcon Online Auction!

TEAM LEADERBOARD - PLAYER LEADERBOARD

The Bowling Green State University women's golf team opened their 2010 season on Monday (Sept. 13) by trekking to Denton, Texas for the Worldlink North Texas Fall Classic.

Denton, Texas is the home turf of BGSU sophomore phenom Susy Grunden. You might expect Grunden to have butterflies while playing in front of hometown friends and family.

If she did, she clearly did not let them affect her play on the par-72, 6,489 yard Golf Course at Champions Circle. In fact, Grunden completed -- easily -- the best day in BGSU women's golf history.

Last year, Grunden broke the Falcons' single-season scoring average record set by Jenny Schnipke. On Monday, she took two more of Schnipke's records and set herself up to take Schnipke's final standing feat.

Grunden opened play by carding a 69 over the first 18 holes. The three-under-par effort set a new school record, breaking the one set by Schnipke (2002-03) and Ingrid Lundblad (1987-88). After a short break, she merely went out and played a one-under-par 71 over her second 18 holes. That tied what had been Bowling Green's second-best round ever, accomplished previously by Megan Bader in the 2008-09 season.

For the day, Grunden played two of the five best rounds in school history. Her 36-hole score of 140 broke Schnipke's old mark (set in 2002) by five strokes.

Her four-under-par play also earned her the lead after the first day of the Worldlink Fall Classic. She leads Kelsey Kipp (North Texas) by one stroke and Shelby Hardy (Sam Houston State) by two. Only two others are within seven strokes of Grunden.

Grunden now aims for a personal 54-hole record and potentially the school 54-hole record. Her personal high is 226, which she earned while winning last year's Zippy Invitational. The school record is 221, set by Schnipke during the 2003-04 season.

Overall, the Falcons find themselves in seventh place with an overall score of 621 (316-305). They trail Redlands by one stroke and fifth-place Texas A&M-Corpus Christi by eight. Meanwhile, BGSU leads Oklahoma City by two strokes. Texas-Pan American and McLennan, who share ninth place, are six strokes behind the Falcons.

Sam Houston State (587) and North Texas (588) lead the tournament thus far.

Individually, sophomore Amy Ruthenberg put together a solid performance and is in 27th place. Her total of 155 (79-76) is just four strokes behind a group tied for 13th place. Those two rounds also represent the best 36 holes of Ruthenberg's career.

Bowling Green's two freshman, Bailey Arnold and Kelsey Benson, saw their first career action for the Falcons on Monday. Each struggled somewhat during their first round but each also registered a stronger second round to improve their standing by day's end.

Arnold carded a second-round 77 on her way to a 160 for the day and a tie for 41st place, while Benson put together an 81 in the second round. She claims 60th place after scoring 166 over the first 36 holes.

Junior Paula DiFrancesco rests just behind Benson in the standings. She also carded an 81 in the second round and finished with a total of 168 for the day.

The final round will commence on Tuesday (Sept. 14) morning. Complete results and a full recap will be available at BGSUFalcons.com shortly after completion of the final 18 holes.