Sept. 28, 2009
Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational Day 1 Results
MANHATTAN, Kan. - Illinois State senior Britt Knutson led the Redbirds in the first round of the two-day Marilynn Smith/Sunflower Invitational with a 79, while senior Marisa Milligan stepped up in the second round to fire a two-over-par 74. Strong winds and cold temperatures made for a tough day as ISU battled through 36-holes at the Colbert Hills Golf Club in Manhattan, Kan., to end the day in third place out of the 12-team field with a 638 (329-309).
In the first round, Knutson fired two birdies to lead the team with a seven-over-par 79 and finish in a tie for 13th. Senior Stacey Miller shot an 80, her highest round of the new season, to tie for 19th individually. Senior Christine Larson posted third for the team with an 83 to tie for 23rd, while fellow senior teammates Marisa Milligan and Laura Harris tied for 41st after carding an 87.
The Redbirds entered the second round of the tournament in a tie for fifth place with Kansas State. Miller made a comeback after shooting a four-over-par 76 to move up 12 places, and end the day tied for seventh. Knutson finished the day in a tie for 20th after firing an 81 in the final round of the first day. Milligan carded the lowest round for the Redbirds, a two-over-par 74, to place in a tie for 23rd. Larson shot an 80 to end in a tie for 28th. Harris moved up nine strokes, posting a 79 in the final round to finish in a tie for 37th individually.
Junior Terra Miller competed as an individual, carding an 87 on the first round and a 78 on the second round to end the day in a tie for 35th place.
"Today was an absolutely brutal day of golf," said head coach Darby Sligh. "We really struggled off the bat with harsh winds and cold temperatures. It was simply five hours of survival followed by five hours of comeback. I am very proud of the way we handled such a tough start and were able to rebound in the afternoon. We are looking forward to a much better day tomorrow."
The final 18-holes will begin with a shotgun start at 8:30 am on Tuesday.
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