‘Jacket women in second after opening round of RMC Invite

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Sunday, October 2, 2016 ‘Jacket women in second after opening round of RMC Invite

MSUB’s women’s golf team shoots a score of 307 in the opening round of the Rocky Mountain College Invite on Sunday, and trails the host Battlin’ Bears by two strokes heading into Monday’s finale.

BILLINGS, Mont. – Putting together a team round of 307 on the opening day of the Rocky Mountain College Invitational, the Montana State University Billings women’s golf team sits in second place with one round left to play at Peter Yegen Golf Club.

The third overall round of the 2016 fall season was the best so far for the MSUB women, whose entire lineup played within three strokes of one another. “Our women’s score was good today, and I think we have the ability to improve on it tomorrow,” said MSUB head coach Kevin Woodin. “I felt we left a lot of birdies out there, that hopefully tomorrow we can get. We haven’t played a tournament in a couple weeks, and this tournament will definitely help the team as they head to Washington later this week.”

Leading MSUB and currently in a tie for fifth place are junior Bailee Dexter and sophomore Shealyn Hafer, who each shot a 5-over-par 76 in Round 1 on Sunday. Dexter had birdies on holes 17, 1, and 4, and played the front nine holes at just 1-

over-par. “I was proud of Bailee and her 76, and she settled into her round nicely,” said Woodin. “She got off to a little bit of a bumpy start, but I was happy with how she responded.”

Hafer had a pair of birdies in her opening round of the tournament, and carded no worse than a bogey over her first 18 holes. Limiting her strokes on the back nine, Hafer shot a 1-over-par 36 on her way to the top of MSUB’s lineup. “I thought Shea was really hitting the ball well, and she was able to get up and down a few times around the greens. She played very consistent golf today.”

One stroke behind Dexter and Hafer is sophomore Kortney McNeil, who shot a 6-over-par 77 on Day 1 of the event. McNeil carded birdies on Holes 1 and 11, and was 3-over-par on both the front nine and back nine.

Senior Haley Shackelford is tied for 10th place after shooting a 78, thanks to a 1-over-par 37 on her way out. Shackelford saved a stroke with a birdie on the sixth hole, and carded 12 pars through her first 18 holes.

Sammy Walter is just one stroke behind Shackelford, after shooting a 79 on Sunday. Walter played a clean front nine at 1-over-par 37, including birdies on the par-5 fourth hole, and on the par-4 sixth hole.

Sophomore Kortney McNeil fired a 77 on Day 1 of the RMC Invite and sits in a tie for eighth place.

Rocky Mountain College’s Eryn Ellis leads the group after day one, as she shot a 3-over-par 74. Three players are tied for second place, with MSUB’s Dexter and Hafer close behind at two strokes behind the leaders.

The Bears also lead the team race, as they sit two strokes ahead of MSUB after a 305 among the seven-team field.

THE BUZZ: Hafer was selected as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…Hafer’s 76 was a new personal best…McNeil’s 77 was her best score of the season so far, as was Shackelford’s 78.

NEXT UP: The second and final round for the women will tee off at 9 a.m. on Monday morning at Yegen Golf Club. Live scoring will be available through BirdieFire here.

Rocky Mountain College Invitational Peter Yegen Golf Club | Billings, MT Round 1 Results | October 2, 2016 Team – 1. Rocky Mountain College, 305; 2. MSU Billings, 307. Individual – 1. Eryn Ellis, RMC, 74; T5. Bailee Dexter, MSUB, 76; T5. Shealyn Hafer, MSUB, 76; T8. Kortney McNeil, MSUB, 77; T10. Haley Shackelford, MSUB, 78; 14. Sammy Walter, MSUB, 79.

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