MSUB Women's Golf Recap 9/21/15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Monday, September 21, 2015 Yellowjacket women in the mix after 1st round of WNMU Invite

The MSUB women’s golf team shoots a 306 in the first round of the WNMU Invitational and currently sits in 15th place with the final round scheduled for Tuesday.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. – After completing the first round of the Western New Mexico University Invitational on Monday at Coldwater Golf Club, the Montana State University Billings women’s golf team is one of nine teams separated by nine strokes or fewer among the 20-team field at the event.

The Yellowjackets shot a score of 306 in Round 1 on the par-72, 5,870-yard course. Six teams are currently within seven strokes ahead of MSUB, with two more teams just two strokes behind in the evenly-matched field.

“We started on the back nine today which typically plays two-to-four shots harder than the front nine,” commented MSUB head coach Shawn O’Brien. “We turned on the back at five-over par, which was a tremendous start to the day.

Unfortunately, we did not keep the momentum going on the stretch of the golf course we needed to take advantage of.”

Leading the way for the Yellowjackets on Day 1 were freshman Kortney McNeil and sophomore Bailee Dexter. McNeil is currently tied for 21st place after shooting a 1-over par 73, while Dexter is tied for 40th after a 3-over par 75. McNeil and Dexter each had a pair of birdies their first time through the 18-hole course.

“Kortney and Bailee played very well today,” O’Brien said. “I am excited to see what they can do tomorrow.”

Sophomore Sammy Walter and freshman Anna DeMars are tied for 75th in the individual field, after each shooting a 79 on the first day. Both players also had two birdies in the first round.

Shealyn Hafer rounded out the field of five for MSUB, shooting an 85 on Day 1. The freshman highlighted her round with a birdie putt on the par-3, 163-yard 14th hole at the event.

Cal Baptist leads the team race after the first round, as the Lancers shot a 280 as a team on Day 1 and hold a sevenstroke lead over second-place University of Redlands. UR’s Caroline Ordian is the current tournament leader, firing an impressive 8-under par 64 in her first round.

Great Northwest Athletic Conference opponent Western Washington is also competing in the event, and the Vikings sit in fifth place with a team score of 289 after Day 1.

“We started slow last week, and bounced back well, and that is what I’m looking for from us tomorrow,” O’Brien said.

“There are a lot of teams only a few shots ahead of us, and we need to catch every one of them.”

McNeil earned St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day honors for the ‘Jackets after pacing the squad through the first round of competition.

The second and final round of the tournament is scheduled to tee off at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, and live stats will be available online via Golf Stat here.

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