Colbert Hills to play host to Sunflower Invitational
Oct 09, 2003 | Women's Golf
Tee'd Off The Kansas State women's golf team continues its fall season Oct. 13-14 at the Marilynn Smith/Sunflower Invitational in Manhattan, Kan. This two-day, 54-hole tournament begins with a shotgun start of 9 a.m. Monday and 8:30 a.m.Tuesday. Getting Press Senior Christine Boucher is garnering some national recognition of late. Golf World magazine named her Golfer of the Week in its Sept. 26 issue.
Knight Time Kristi Knight begins her ninth year as K-State's head women's golf coach. After playing for the University of Oklahoma, Knight came to Manhattan in 1995. Knight looks forward to the competition among the team this year. 'The traveling five spots will be very competitive,' Knight said. 'That is very exciting to me. It's what you want as a coach. It shows the program is getting stronger and getting deeper.'
The Course Colbert Hills Golf Course opened in May 2000 and is now often referred to as the crown jewel of Manhattan. It is rated the toughest golf course in Kansas and is a PGA Tour Licensed Preferred Collegiate Golf Course. The course played host to men's 2003 NCAA Central Regional and the women's 2002 Big 12 Championship. The course plays a par 72 on 6,151 yards. Team Leader Kansas State senior Christine Boucher leads the Wildcat team this year. Coming off a successful spring where she placed 64th in the NCAA Championships, Boucher will be an inspiration to her teammates. 'I think her success motivates the other girls,' Coach Kristi Knight said. 'Christine really wants to go back to Nationals as a team.'
Earning Titles, Breaking Records Boucher won her fourth tournament title during the Wildcats' first competition this fall in Lincoln, Neb. Her three-over 219 helped the Wildcats to a tie for second place, 31 strokes behind host Nebraska. Just this past week, Boucher won her fifth title at the Price's Give Em Five Challenge, shooting a combined 213. Her third round 67 is the second best of Boucher's career. Her 54-hole score is the second best in K-State history. Boucher holds the record from the Edwin Watts Collegiate (Nov. 4-5, 2002).
Sunflower History K-State won this tournament last year at the Willowbend Golf Club in Wichita hosted by Wichita State. The team shot 903 and Boucher won the individual title, firing a 222. The team also placed third in 2001 in Lawrence and third in 2000, when the Cats hosted at Colbert Hills.
