McSherry’s Breakthrough Yields Top Individual, Team Position
Sep 15, 2019 | Women's Golf
MANHATTAN, Kan. – Niamh McSherry had never shot under par in a competitive round at Colbert Hills until she did it twice on day one of play at the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational Sunday. Strong tee shots paired with consistent green play led to scores of 2-under-70 and 1-under-71 and placed McSherry at the top of the leaderboard by three strokes after 36 holes on the Wildcats' home course. K-State also led North Texas by two shots for the tournament lead.
Two years ago McSherry turned in a 79 and two 78s as a freshman, then just the second tournament of her career and debut at the biennial event co-hosted by K-State and Kansas at alternating campus sites. A week after a sluggish start to the 2019-20 campaign, McSherry was the best golfer in the 62-player field Sunday.
"Really proud of Niamh, she played really good golf today," K-State head coach Kristi Knight said. "She had a good demeanor and her energy was good."
"That's why we do what we do, that's what makes everything worthwhile. To see a player have a breakthrough; to accomplish something that maybe they didn't think they could do. Niamh has continued to progress forward, really happy for her. She loves the team, loves being part of the team, and she wants them to be successful."
McSherry was joined by teammate Reid Isaac (T4th) in the top five to pace K-State to first place (588) by two strokes after fending off a surging North Texas (560). New Mexico State (594) and Tulsa (595) were also lurking close behind, the only other teams within double digit strokes before Monday's finale.
"Anytime you're in the lead after the day that's a good thing," Knight said. "I'm really proud of the effort. It was a day we had some ups and downs, we had a couple holes that we gave some shots away but the ladies kept battling, kept playing and gave themselves birdie opportunities."
Isaac started out hot - shooting 1-under 71 in round one but struggled on the front nine of round two and double bogeyed No. 8. A bogey on No. 10 caused by a lost ball was the only hiccup over the last nine holes of the day as Isaac shot par six times and birdied twice to rally, even as the field's scoring average continued to climb with the temperature.
Briony Bayles was in disbelief after she hit a water hazard off the tee on No. 18 at the end of round two, but a huge second tee shot coupled with a lucky roll helped Bayles turn in "the best bogey of her life" before a birdie to close moved her into a tie for 16th. Chloe Weir finished the first 36 holes in her return to play tied for 23rd, shooting 78-75-153. Heather Fortushniak rounded out the first place Wildcat lineup with a ten-stroke improvement in round two, carding a 2-over 74 after a 12-over 84 over the first 18 holes to sit tied for 46th.
North Texas had a massive turnaround in round two, improving by 22 strokes from their first round performance to move into second place (306-284--590). The Mean Green was led by Patricia Sinolungan who shot a tournament low 4-under 68 in round two to move into second place individually, tied with Dominique Galloway of New Mexico State as both shoot even-par 144.
The Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational concludes Monday with the final 18 holes beginning with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
Two years ago McSherry turned in a 79 and two 78s as a freshman, then just the second tournament of her career and debut at the biennial event co-hosted by K-State and Kansas at alternating campus sites. A week after a sluggish start to the 2019-20 campaign, McSherry was the best golfer in the 62-player field Sunday.
"Really proud of Niamh, she played really good golf today," K-State head coach Kristi Knight said. "She had a good demeanor and her energy was good."
"That's why we do what we do, that's what makes everything worthwhile. To see a player have a breakthrough; to accomplish something that maybe they didn't think they could do. Niamh has continued to progress forward, really happy for her. She loves the team, loves being part of the team, and she wants them to be successful."
McSherry was joined by teammate Reid Isaac (T4th) in the top five to pace K-State to first place (588) by two strokes after fending off a surging North Texas (560). New Mexico State (594) and Tulsa (595) were also lurking close behind, the only other teams within double digit strokes before Monday's finale.
"Anytime you're in the lead after the day that's a good thing," Knight said. "I'm really proud of the effort. It was a day we had some ups and downs, we had a couple holes that we gave some shots away but the ladies kept battling, kept playing and gave themselves birdie opportunities."
Isaac started out hot - shooting 1-under 71 in round one but struggled on the front nine of round two and double bogeyed No. 8. A bogey on No. 10 caused by a lost ball was the only hiccup over the last nine holes of the day as Isaac shot par six times and birdied twice to rally, even as the field's scoring average continued to climb with the temperature.
Briony Bayles was in disbelief after she hit a water hazard off the tee on No. 18 at the end of round two, but a huge second tee shot coupled with a lucky roll helped Bayles turn in "the best bogey of her life" before a birdie to close moved her into a tie for 16th. Chloe Weir finished the first 36 holes in her return to play tied for 23rd, shooting 78-75-153. Heather Fortushniak rounded out the first place Wildcat lineup with a ten-stroke improvement in round two, carding a 2-over 74 after a 12-over 84 over the first 18 holes to sit tied for 46th.
North Texas had a massive turnaround in round two, improving by 22 strokes from their first round performance to move into second place (306-284--590). The Mean Green was led by Patricia Sinolungan who shot a tournament low 4-under 68 in round two to move into second place individually, tied with Dominique Galloway of New Mexico State as both shoot even-par 144.
The Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational concludes Monday with the final 18 holes beginning with a shotgun start at 8 a.m. Admission is free and open to the public.
Players Mentioned
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