MSUB Women's Golf Recap 10/8/15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Thursday, October 8, 2015 Yellowjacket women shoot 308 in 1st round, leading Fall Invite

MSUB’s women’s golf team has the top five golfers after the first round, as it shoots a 308 as a team to lead the Fall Invitational with one round left to play Friday.

HUNTLEY, Mont. – The five scoring players for the Montana State University Billings women’s golf team currently occupy the top-5 spots at the Yellowjacket Fall Invitational, as the ‘Jackets shot a team score of 308 Thursday at Pryor Creek Golf Club to take a commanding lead on Day 1 of the event.

“I thought our women played well today, and we got off to a great start which allowed us to score well,” commented MSUB head coach Shawn O’Brien. “I am looking forward to tomorrow and am eager to see if our women can come out and beat today’s score.”

Yellowjacket freshman Kortney McNeil stole the show, shooting a 1-over-par 73 and nearly draining a hole-in-one as she currently has a four-stroke lead in first place.

“Kortney played very solid throughout the day, and she has been consistent all fall,” said O’Brien.

To go along with her tournament-best 16 pars, McNeil’s one birdie on the day came on the par-3 second hole. The freshman’s tee shot landed an inch past the cup, and skipped forward before spinning back and hitting the pin. She tapped in the putt from a foot away after the near ace. “When I fixed the divot, it was so close that I had to reconstruct part of the hole,” O’Brien commented on the incredible shot.

Tied for second place after the opening round are sophomore Bailee Dexter and junior Haley Shackelford. Dexter led the field with two birdies, and added 10 pars to shoot a 77. Shackelford had the second-most pars with 13 and added a birdie as she matched Dexter’s score.

Dexter’s birdie came on the par-4, 361-yard seventh hole, as she sunk a 10-foot putt to save a stroke. Shackelford had an impressive tee shot on the par-3, 110-yard 12th hole, as she stuck the ball five feet from the cup for an easy right-to-left birdie putt.

Freshmen Anna DeMars and Shealyn Hafer are tied for fifth place, after each shooting an 81 in the first round. Hafer had 10 pars, while DeMars finished with a dozen.

DeMars’s lone birdie of the day came on the par-4, 405-yard first hole. After a 285-yard drive, DeMars stuck her next shot from 110 yards within three feet of the pin and converted the short putt.

Also competing for MSUB as an individual was sophomore Sammy Walter, who shot an 86 in the opening round.

North Idaho College sits in a distant second place after shooting a team score of 362 on Day 1. Also competing as teams at the event are Carroll College (381), and Montana Tech (427).

McNeil was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day for the Yellowjackets. The second and final round is set to tee off at 9 a.m. on Friday on the Elmer Links Course at Pryor Creek.

“I would like to thank Pryor Creek Golf Club for allowing us to play here this week,” O’Brien said. “The greens are in unbelievably great shape, along with the course. We could not have asked for a better day and course to play on. I also want to give a big thank you to All Color Embroidery Services and Sun Mountain Sports for their sponsorships in our fall golf tournament.”

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