Sunday, September 15
Manhattan, Kan.
Kansas State University
vs
Marilynn Smith/Sunflower Invitational
McSherry, K-State Closes Strong to Sweep Top Honors at Home
Sep 16, 2019 | Women's Golf
MANHATTAN, Kan. – "The best par I've ever seen." That's how K-State assistant coach Jared Helin described Niamh McSherry's recovery on No. 18 to close the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational as the individual medalist, her first individual win at any level. It also helped K-State fend off a fierce challenge from a trio of competitors while earning the team's first tournament crown since Oct. 31, 2017.
McSherry won the individual title by four strokes - the same margin the Wildcats used to hold off North Texas - but the standings were flipped and in doubt until the very end. For K-State, which led after 36 holes on Sunday at par-72, 6,256 yard Colbert Hills Golf Course, it was all about closing strong.
McSherry, the most powerful with a driver in the Wildcat lineup, launched a huge tee shot over the cart path on the far side of the fairway and looked visibly frustrated before chatting with Helin and hitting a provisional second shot, before eventually finding the ball in the tall prairie grass. McSherry chipped out of the native and onto the rough before chipping onto the green and making an eight-foot putt look easy in front of an anxious crowd.
"I've told the girls all week that 18 is my favorite driving hole," McSherry said. "I don't know what happened, just adrenaline and nerves and I just pulled it over but Jared kept me calm all the way through. That's probably the best par I'm ever going to make. It's going to always stick with me."
"My chipping has been my biggest improvement all week and I felt really confident I was going to get up and down. I felt like if I did that, I was going to go on and win it. I went out there really confident, I've played really well around Colbert during a few qualifying rounds. I just went out there and gave it my all the last few days."
McSherry finished under par for the third consecutive day, using two birdies over the final five holes to move from even par and tied with New Mexico State's Dominique Galloway to toting the trophy through the Colbert Hills Clubhouse after firing 70-71-70--211 (-5). Galloway was runner-up at 1-under 215.
K-State won the team title on the backs of its junior class placing in the top five. In addition to McSherry, Reid Isaac placed 3rd after shooting 1-under 71 in round three to drop her to even (216) for the tournament. Isaac, McSherry and redshirt senior Chloe Weir became two time winners of the Marilynn Smith/Sunflower Invitational after also claiming top team honors in 2017, the last time the tournament was played at Colbert Hills.
The Wildcats used a strong final six holes to fuel the team win. K-State fell behind by as many five strokes in the first 13 holes but played stronger as the round played out as Isaac birdied four of seven holes from No. 10-16 and McSherry went over par only once during the last nine holes. A two-team race between K-State and North Texas got even more interesting with New Mexico State and Tulsa climbing the leaderboard over the waning holes, but it wasn't enough to dethrone the home side.
"I'm really impressed with the team and how we responded on the back nine," K-State head coach Kristi Knight said. "We started out two ahead but got down pretty quickly. They made the turn and turned it on."
Added McSherry: "I'm just so happy for the team, especially knowing we were so far behind at one point today and then we really pulled out on the back nine."
Heather Fortushniak quietly keyed K-State's climb. The sophomore from Brighton, Michigan had her score balloon to 5-over through 14 holes - the peak point of panic for those following the live scoring - but birdied three of the final four holes to turn in a counting score of 4-over 76 like Briony Bayles. Bayles fell three spots from day one but stayed in the top-20 after round three and finished tied for 19th.
Even Weir managed to rally in the second half after a pair of triple bogeys tested her composure on the front nine. Playing in her first tournament since being sidelined by an illness last week, finished T32nd after shooting a 16-over 232.
Outside of the middle of the final round, K-State nearly led wire-to-wire, having only trailed New Mexico State by one at the end of the first 18 holes before leading after round two and at the tournament's close.
"I don't know if I can explain how much pressure there is," Knight said. "We only play at home once every two years and it's really important to them and it's an enormous amount of pressure to play at home."
K-State freshman Haley Vargas didn't qualify for the team's scoring lineup this week, but turned in her first top-10 finish after shooting 74-75-70--219 (+3) for the tournament.
The Wildcats continue their fall slate at the East and West Match Play, hosted by the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisc., next Sunday through Tuesday.
McSherry won the individual title by four strokes - the same margin the Wildcats used to hold off North Texas - but the standings were flipped and in doubt until the very end. For K-State, which led after 36 holes on Sunday at par-72, 6,256 yard Colbert Hills Golf Course, it was all about closing strong.
McSherry, the most powerful with a driver in the Wildcat lineup, launched a huge tee shot over the cart path on the far side of the fairway and looked visibly frustrated before chatting with Helin and hitting a provisional second shot, before eventually finding the ball in the tall prairie grass. McSherry chipped out of the native and onto the rough before chipping onto the green and making an eight-foot putt look easy in front of an anxious crowd.
"I've told the girls all week that 18 is my favorite driving hole," McSherry said. "I don't know what happened, just adrenaline and nerves and I just pulled it over but Jared kept me calm all the way through. That's probably the best par I'm ever going to make. It's going to always stick with me."
"My chipping has been my biggest improvement all week and I felt really confident I was going to get up and down. I felt like if I did that, I was going to go on and win it. I went out there really confident, I've played really well around Colbert during a few qualifying rounds. I just went out there and gave it my all the last few days."
McSherry finished under par for the third consecutive day, using two birdies over the final five holes to move from even par and tied with New Mexico State's Dominique Galloway to toting the trophy through the Colbert Hills Clubhouse after firing 70-71-70--211 (-5). Galloway was runner-up at 1-under 215.
K-State won the team title on the backs of its junior class placing in the top five. In addition to McSherry, Reid Isaac placed 3rd after shooting 1-under 71 in round three to drop her to even (216) for the tournament. Isaac, McSherry and redshirt senior Chloe Weir became two time winners of the Marilynn Smith/Sunflower Invitational after also claiming top team honors in 2017, the last time the tournament was played at Colbert Hills.
The Wildcats used a strong final six holes to fuel the team win. K-State fell behind by as many five strokes in the first 13 holes but played stronger as the round played out as Isaac birdied four of seven holes from No. 10-16 and McSherry went over par only once during the last nine holes. A two-team race between K-State and North Texas got even more interesting with New Mexico State and Tulsa climbing the leaderboard over the waning holes, but it wasn't enough to dethrone the home side.
"I'm really impressed with the team and how we responded on the back nine," K-State head coach Kristi Knight said. "We started out two ahead but got down pretty quickly. They made the turn and turned it on."
Added McSherry: "I'm just so happy for the team, especially knowing we were so far behind at one point today and then we really pulled out on the back nine."
Heather Fortushniak quietly keyed K-State's climb. The sophomore from Brighton, Michigan had her score balloon to 5-over through 14 holes - the peak point of panic for those following the live scoring - but birdied three of the final four holes to turn in a counting score of 4-over 76 like Briony Bayles. Bayles fell three spots from day one but stayed in the top-20 after round three and finished tied for 19th.
Even Weir managed to rally in the second half after a pair of triple bogeys tested her composure on the front nine. Playing in her first tournament since being sidelined by an illness last week, finished T32nd after shooting a 16-over 232.
Outside of the middle of the final round, K-State nearly led wire-to-wire, having only trailed New Mexico State by one at the end of the first 18 holes before leading after round two and at the tournament's close.
"I don't know if I can explain how much pressure there is," Knight said. "We only play at home once every two years and it's really important to them and it's an enormous amount of pressure to play at home."
K-State freshman Haley Vargas didn't qualify for the team's scoring lineup this week, but turned in her first top-10 finish after shooting 74-75-70--219 (+3) for the tournament.
The Wildcats continue their fall slate at the East and West Match Play, hosted by the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisc., next Sunday through Tuesday.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
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