FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Monday, March 28, 2016 Yellowjacket women open spring with strong round at home invitational
MSUB’s women’s golf team cards a 319 in its first round of the spring, opening strong at its home tournament at Pryor Creek Golf Club. HUNTLEY, Mont. – Snow flurries and sub-40 degree temperatures early in the day did not deter the Montana State University Billings women’s golf team in its opening round of the 2016 spring season, as the Yellowjackets shot a team score of 319 at the team’s home invitational Monday afternoon at Pryor Creek Golf Club. MSUB was led by freshman Anna DeMars, who shot a 76 and made birdie on the third hole. Fellow freshman Kortney McNeil finished third with a 77, and sophomores Bailee Dexter and Sammy Walter tied for fourth with scores of 83. Haley Shackelford was seventh with an 89, and Shealyn Hafer shot a 94 for the ‘Jackets. “It was nice to start at home, and it’s always nice to play a course that we are used to,” said DeMars. “My tee game was really strong and I hit a lot of fairways. My wedge game started off a little iffy, but then it came back and started working for me. I am excited for my next couple of years as a Yellowjacket.”
Kyla Clancy of Rocky Mountain College won medalist honors, holding off DeMars by two strokes and firing a 1-over-par 74 on the par-73, 6,278-yard Elmer Links Course at Pryor Creek. Clancy was one of three golfers from RMC at the event, and Miles Community College also had a pair of individuals compete. DeMars was the top player at the event in par-4 scoring, as she was 1-over on those 10 holes. She also tied Clancy with 13 pars overall, while Dexter and McNeil were the only players in the field to record multiple birdies. The average score among participants was 90.36. Originally scheduled to be a two-round event, Tuesday morning’s closing round was cancelled due to a poor weather forecast. “This team has a lot of ability and they are very coachable,” said MSUB interim head coach Kevin Woodin. “We have a lot of depth throughout the squad, and Anna and Kortney had a good start today with a 76 and 77, respectively.” THE BUZZ: DeMars was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…she was 1.5 strokes ahead of her season average of 77.5, which ranks fourth in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference…McNeil entered the round tied for second in GNAC scoring at 75.0, and broke MSUB’s two-round record in three of her five events in the fall. Freshman Kortney McNeil shot a 77 in her first round of the spring Monday.
NEXT UP: The Yellowjacket women head south for the Western New Mexico Invitational, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Palm Valley Golf Club in
Goodyear, Ariz. --@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--