By Gennaro Filice

For The Daily

The Michigan women's golf team's biggest foe isn't the opposition. It isn't the course either. The Wolverines' toughest opponent isn't even what many golfers refer to as their greatest enemy - themselves. The main adversary of Michigan golfers this spring was none other than the Michigan winter. Although the winter has been mild around the Midwest, it has still wreaked havoc on the Wolverines' practice schedule.

"We haven't been able to play a course in four months," Michigan coach Kathy Teichert said.

The Wolverines finished their fall season with a perfect 4-0 campaign, but they have sputtered this spring, finishing fourth in their first two tournaments.

"I can't expect the same results as they had in the fall because there is just no course around us to play on," Teichert said.

Michigan looks forward to hitting the links, and hopefully improving its record, at the upcoming Hatter Spring Fling in Daytona, Fla. The tournament, which takes place Saturday and Sunday, will be the Wolverines' second trip to Florida in three weeks (Michigan last played in Bradenton, Fla. in the Midwest Classic).

At the Midwest Classic, "I think we had a good second go-around for the spring. Our short game was a lot better," Teichert said. "Our goal in the Hatter Spring Fling is obviously to win and have some high performers."

Teichert will keep the same lineup this weekend that she has played all year: Junior Kim Benedict, senior Misia Lemanski, freshman Laura Olin, senior Cortney Reno and senior LeAnna Wicks.

Much of the team's early success this season is due to the steady play of Benedict. Not only does Benedict lead Michigan in scoring with a 74.94 average (which places her 79th in the Golfweek/Sagarin individual rankings), but she has also been the team's low scorer in four of six tournaments.

"Kim leads by example, and she's a very hard worker," Teichert said. "She is also a very good ball-striker."

Another solid performer for Michigan has been Olin. Just a freshman, Olin has been a pleasant surprise for the Wolverines. She has played in all six tournaments this season, and her consistency shows in her four top-15 finishes. In the final day of the Midwest Classic, Olin recorded a brilliant final round 72, earning her a tie for fourth place - Michigan's best individal finish.

"I knew that she would be a good player for us," Teichert said. "I though it would take a little more time for her to develop, but she has shown a lot of ambition towards her game. She wants to play, but not only play, she wants to be a top scorer for the team."