MSUB Women's Golf Recap 10/9/15

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT Evan O’Kelly Director of Communications O: (406) 657-2130 E: evan.okelly@msubillings.edu Friday, October 9, 2015 MSUB women cruise to team title, sweep top-5 individuals at Fall Invite

MSUB’s women’s golfers take the first-through-fifth spots at the Yellowjacket Fall Invitational, as the team rolls to a victory in its final event of the fall.

HUNTLEY, Mont. – Completing a sweep of the top-6 places, the Montana State University Billings women’s golf team ran away with the title at the Yellowjacket Fall Invitational on Friday at Pryor Creek Golf Club.

Freshman Kortney McNeil won medalist honors with a 1-over-par 147 (73-74) in the two-round event, and all five of her teammates followed close behind as the ‘Jackets scored a 619 (308-311) as a team.

“Our women played fantastic,” said MSUB head coach Shawn O’Brien. “They have played well all fall, and I am really pleased with this tournament. We have an extremely young group, and all six players are competing and are a vital part of our program.”

McNeil made par or better on 32 of her 36 holes, utilizing three birdies and a tournament-best 29 pars to race to the individual title. The Billings Senior High School graduate has finished in the top-10 in four of her five events so far this year, and leads the Great Northwest Athletic Conference among qualifiers in scoring average at 75.0.

“It was definitely nice being back in Billings, playing on a course that we have played on multiple times,” McNeil said.

“Our whole team has worked on being better at managing our shots, and that has definitely helped us out.”

Finishing in second place for MSUB was junior Haley Shackelford, who shot a 154 with back-to-back rounds of 77.

Shackelford tied for the tournament high in birdies with four, and added 23 pars to pick up her first top-5 finish of the year.

Sophomore Bailee Dexter took third place, shooting a 158 (77-81). Dexter also had four birdies, and totaled 19 pars over the two days of competition.

Checking in fourth place was freshman Anna DeMars, who was just two strokes behind Dexter at 160 (81-79). DeMars tied her teammates with four birdies at the event, and also had 19 pars to finish in the top-5. Fellow freshman Shealyn Hafer rounded out the field for the Yellowjackets, finishing with a score of 166 (81-85). Hafer, who hit a hole-in-one in MSUB’s tournament at Dixie State earlier this week, had 18 pars and a birdie at the Yellowjacket Invite.

Also competing for the Yellowjackets was sophomore Sammy Walter, who shot a 168 (89-79). Walter shaved 10 strokes off of her first-round score and finished strongly in sixth place for MSUB. McNeil earned St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day honors for the Yellowjackets.

North Idaho College finished in second place with a team score of 720 (362-358), and Carroll College and Montana Tech also competed at the event.

“The course today was in fantastic shape,” O’Brien said. “The greens out here are the best I have seen in a very long time, so I have to give a big kudos to Pryor Creek and their staff for setting up a tremendous golf course. I’d also like to thank Sun Mountain Sports and All Color Embroidery here in Billings for sponsoring the tournament. Without their help and support, this event would not be as successful as it is.”

NEXT UP: The Yellowjackets concluded their fall season on Friday, and will next take to the greens in March, 2016 at the Yellowjacket Spring Invitational at Pryor Creek Golf Club.

Yellowjacket Fall Invitational – Final Results Pryor Creek Golf Club – Huntley, Mont.

Team – 1. MSU Billings, 619 (308-311). Individual – 1. Kortney McNeil, MSUB, 147 (73-74); 2. Haley Shackelford, MSUB, 154 (77-77); 3. Bailee Dexter, MSUB, 158 (77-81); 4. Anna DeMars, MSUB, 160 (81-79); 5. Shealyn Hafer, MSUB, 166 (8185); 6. Sammy Walter, MSUB, 168 (89-79).

--@MSUBSports | #JacketNation--