June 10, 2010
Women’s Basketball Golf Extravaganza Golf Outing
IOWA CITY – The annual Iowa Women’s Basketball Golf Extravaganza had a little bit of everything Thursday afternoon at Finkbine Golf Course in Iowa City. The participants saw a little sunshine, a lot of rain and one lucky player even walked away with a car.
Even though the four-person scramble tournament was shortened due to heavy rain and potential thunderstorms, Mark Neary of Iowa City earned a new 2010 Ford Fusion after recording a hole-in-one on the 17th hole. Neary used a 7-wood for the 170-yard shot and the ball bounced on the front of the green, took three bounces and rolled into the hole to secure the first hole-in-one in the outing’s history. Neary didn’t realize he aced the hole until he heard the screams of women’s basketball players Kachine Alexander, Kamille Wahlin and Trisha Nesbitt, who were mingling with the participants on the hole.
“I’ve never seen a hole-in-one before,” Wahlin said. That was pretty exciting. We all thought it was going to be a good shot, but we couldn’t believe it went in the hole. That was really cool to witness.”
The Hawkeyes host the Golf Extravaganza every year, with the proceeds funding Iowa’s summer foreign trip that is allowed every four years. Iowa is scheduled to visit Paris in the summer of 2011.
“The support of our fans at this outing is tremendous,” Head Coach Lisa Bluder said. “We had a full golf course today with everyone wearing Black and Gold. This event gives our team and staff a great chance to talk and get to know our fans. It was also very exciting when we heard Mark got the first hole-in-one in our outing’s history! Even though the weather didn’t cooperate, it was a great day at Finkbine.”