BEAUMONT, Texas – The Lamar University women's golf team opens its spring season Friday, hoping to pick up it where it left off during a successful fall campaign.
 
The Cardinals, who won individual medalist honors in three of the four fall events, with one team title and four top-three finishes, start the spring season at the Ball State Sunshine Invitational in Port St. Lucie. The 12-team event at the St. Lucie Trail Golf Club will see the teams play 36 holes Friday before a final round on Saturday on the 6,074-yard, par-72 layout operated by the PGA of America.
 
We're excited to get our spring started at a PGA Village course," LU coach Jessica Steward said. "This event will be a great opportunity for our players, and I'm sure they'll enjoy playing such a first-class facility."
 
The Cardinals are one of two Southland Conference schools in the field along with McNeese. The 10 other schools competing are Ball State, Drake, Eastern Kentucky, Illinois State, IUPUI, Keiser, Lipscomb, Southern Illinois, Toledo and Valparaiso. Keiser is the two-time defending NAIA national champion.
 
"We'll get to see some new teams, including Eastern Kentucky, which is ranked 89^th, and Toledo, which is ranked 110^th," Steward said. "The girls have been working hard, and I really saw their golf games come to life last weekend."
 
Steward noted that the Cardinals and McNeese have an advantage over the northern schools, who aren't able to practice outside this time of year.
 
"Hopefully, we'll have the weather advantage over many of the schools." Steward said.
 
The Cardinals have been idle since Oct. 29, when they placed second at the Seton Hall Pirate Invitational on a wind-whipped Trump National course. Olivia Le Roux shared medalist honors in that event, only to lose in a playoff.
 
Freshman Elodie Chapelet led the Cardinals in the fall with a stroke average of 73.50. Chapelet finished in the top-five in all four events. She won the Bearkat Women's Invitational in October one week after losing a playoff to teammate Wenny Chang at the Bob Hurley ORU Shootout.
 
Le Roux averaged 75.40 strokes during the fall, while Chang, the two-time Southland Conference Golfer of the Year, averaged 75.90 strokes.
 
"Wenny looks more determined than ever," Steward said. "This is her senior year, and she wants to go out as a champion."
 
Felicia Sauceda averaged 79.50 strokes in the fall.
 
The Cardinals were scheduled to depart for Florida on Wednesday, but inclement weather in parts of the country forced their flight to be canceled. LU is set to depart on Thursday.
 
"We won't be able to have a practice round on the course," Steward said. "We'll look at the layout online and do the best we can to prepare our game plan."
 
The Cardinals will remain in Florida after Saturday's final round to compete in the Women's Mid-American Match Play Challenge, set for Feb. 13-14 in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
 
WEATHER FORECAST: Friday will feature intervals of clouds and sunshine with a high of 74. Winds will be from the northeast at 10-15 mph. The chance of rain is 20 percent. Saturday will be sunny with a high of 78. Wins will be from the east-southeast at 9 mph. The chance of rain is 10 percent.