McNeil ties for 3rd at GNAC Championships

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Tuesday, April 25, 2017 McNeil ties for 3rd at GNAC Championships

Sophomore Kortney McNeil ties for third place at the GNAC Golf Championships, helping MSUB’s women’s squad to a tie for third place overall.

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho – Kortney McNeil capped her sophomore season off with her best round of the year, shooting a 2-over-par 73 Tuesday at the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships presented by the Coeur d’Alene Resort to finish the tournament tied for third place.

McNeil’s two-round total of 154 (81-73) was the lowest ever by a Yellowjacket at the conference tournament, as she topped the previous low of 156 (76-80) held by Bailee Dexter from the 2016 event. McNeil’s 73 was also the lowest individual round at the conference tournament by an MSUB golfer, and was the lowest among the field of 30 golfers on Tuesday at the par-71, 5,914-yard course.

The strong effort helped the MSUB women tie for third place as a team, as the Yellowjackets finished with a two-round total of 644 (331-313). The second-round score was the lowest ever by MSUB at the GNAC Championships, as the unit bettered the mark of 319 recorded in the second round of the 2015 tournament.

McNeil had three birdies on Tuesday, and had nothing worse than a bogey on her scorecard. She was stellar on the course’s five par-3 holes, playing them at even-par including a birdie on the 120-yard fifth hole.

Sammy Walter and Shealyn Hafer tied for 12th place at the event, each finishing with a total score of 161. Hafer saved five strokes between rounds, coming down from an 83 Monday to a team-second best 78 on Tuesday. The sophomore had just one double bogey on Day 2 of the event, and played the four par-5 holes at even-par.

Walter also improved between rounds, posting an 80 on Day 2 after an 81 Monday. The junior had one birdie Tuesday on the 462-yard, par-5 15th hole, and she totaled four overall at the tournament.

Sophomore Shealyn Hafer tied for 12th place in her first appearance at the GNAC Championships.

Junior Bailee Dexter was MSUB’s fourth golfer to improve Tuesday, as she finished four strokes ahead of her 86 on Monday with an 82.

Dexter carded one birdie on the final day of the tournament, and finished in 19th place overall with a 168.

In her final collegiate event, Haley Shackelford matched her score from Monday with her second straight 89. Shackelford birdied the 120-yard fifth hole for the second straight day, and finished in 24th place with a total score of 178.

Simon Fraser University won the team title, riding the performances of the tournament’s top-two finishers. The Clan posted a total score of 616 (305-311), breaking the tournament record they set last year by a single stroke. Emily Leung, who broke the tournament record for a single round by one stroke with a 1-under-par 70 on Monday, finished with a 77 Tuesday to hang on to medalist honors with a 147 overall. Teammate Kylie Jack took second place with a 153 (76-77).

THE BUZZ: McNeil was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…the 73 was two strokes away from her personal best of 71.

2017 GNAC Women’s Golf Championships Coeur d’Alene Resort | Coeur d’Alene, Idaho Final Results | April 25, 2017 Team – 1. Simon Fraser, 616 (305, 311); T3. MSU Billings, 644 (331-313). Individuals – 1. Emily Leung, SFU, 147 (70-77); T3. Kortney McNeil, MSUB, 154 (81-73); T12. Sammy Walter, MSUB, 161 (81-80); T12. Shealyn Hafer, MSUB, 161 (83-78); 19. Bailee Dexter, MSUB, 168 (86-82); 24. Haley Shackelford, MSUB, 178 (89-89).

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