Story by DJ Pigg, Contributing writer
Men’s golf
Murray State’s men’s golf team is off to a strong start to the 2017 Fall season after a win at its home tournament on Tuesday.
The Racers opened their season at Miller Memorial Golf Course for the Murray State Invitational on Monday. They found the top of a 14-team leaderboard, bringing in a team total of two under par, 850. Murray State was the only team to finish under par, with UT Martin finishing in second place with an 856, 4 over par team total. Following the Skyhawks was Western Illinois University and Morehead State at seven over par, 859, as well as Austin Peay at eight over par, 860.
Murray State was led by sophomore Avery Edwards from Paducah, Kentucky, who placed second individually behind the reigning back-to-back OVC champion, senior Hunter Richardson. Edwards shot 68-67-72 in his three rounds to finish six under par for the tournament.
Following Edwards’ second place finish was sophomore Austin Knight from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, who also brought in a top-five individual finish for the Racers, finishing tied for third place with a 210, three under par total.
Head Coach Eddie Hunt hopes the Racers can use the win as momentum going into this weekend’s tournament.
“I’m very pleased with the way our guys played,” Hunt said. “We had six OVC teams in the field and it was good to come out on top of all of them. I think the win will give our guys a lot of confidence going into this weekend in Richmond.”
The men’s team will tee it up again this weekend, September 16th and 17th, in Richmond, Kentucky at Eastern Kentucky University Club.
Women’s golf:
Murray State’s women’s golf team teed it up for their first tournament of the 2017 season in Springfield, Missouri for the Payne Stewart Memorial Tournament.
The Racers finished second out of 15 teams with a team total of 888, which followed the University of Memphis’ 874. Behind the Racers was the University of Texas El Paso at 896, Wichita State at 902 and Missouri State at 912.
Raeysha Surendran, sophomore from Selangor, Malaysia, and Linette Holmslykke, junior from Vejle, Denmark, led the way for the Racers, both posting scores of 222 to finish in a tie for fifth place.
The rest of the women’s team followed closely behind, with Moa Folke, senior from Tranas, Sweden, and Lucila Puente Rodriguez, sophomore from Sevilla, Spain, posting scores of 225 as well as Jane Watts, junior from Versailles, Kentucky, finishing at 229.
Playing as individuals was Anna Moore, senior from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, who finished at 227, and Belen Amoros Benet, freshman from Valencia, Spain, who posted a total of 232.
The Racers will have the coming weekend off from tournament play as they prepare for Jacksonville State’s Chris Banister Classic in Gadsden, Alabama at Silver Lakes Golf Club on September 24-26.