(MSUB Athletics release)
BILLINGS – Under the weather, both literally and figuratively, senior Bailee Dexter led Montana State University Billings to the women’s team title as she claimed medalist honors at the Yellowjacket Spring Invitational on Tuesday at Lake Hills Golf Club.
Despite sub-50 temperatures and gusting winds throughout the day, Dexter also battled through a cold of her own and posted a tournament-best 75 to claim the title. The 3-over-par score came after her 80 on Monday, as she won the event with a two-round total of 155 on the par-72, 6,119-yard course.
Dexter led four MSUB players who finished in the top-5 overall, as the Yellowjackets stood out among the four-team field with a two-round total of 637 (315-322).
Getting paired with her sister Lynzee Dexter of Montana Tech for the day, Bailee got her round started with a bang as she eagled her first hole on the par-5, 464-yard second. She followed with a birdie on the par-5, 481-yard ninth hole, and played the front-nine at 2-under-par 34. The 75 was Dexter’s second-lowest round of the 2017-18 season overall, after she shot a 71 at the Western New Mexico Fall Invitational in September.
Taking second place at the tournament was fellow senior Sammy Walter, who was four strokes behind Dexter with a two-round total of 159 (78-81). Playing in the final home round of her career, the Billings native was steady with 11 pars in Tuesday’s difficult conditions.
Giving the ‘Jackets a clean 1-2-3 sweep of the top spots on the leaderboard was junior Shealyn Hafer, who took third with a total of 160 (80-80). Hafer closed the tournament strongly, as she played her final nine holes of the day at 1-under-par 35. Like Dexter, Hafer saved a pair of strokes with an eagle on the second hole, and followed with a birdie on the par-3, 140-yard seventh hole as well.
After posting the team’s best score with a 77 on Monday, junior Sarah Schroefel got off to a strong start as she birdied her first hole of the day. On the par-4, 374-yard first hole, Schroefel curved her 130-yard approach shot off the right edge of the green and within 12 feet of the hole. She drained the midrange putt, and also had a birdie on the ninth hole to highlight her round. Overall Schroefel finished in a tie for fifth place with a two-round total of 163 (77-86).
Just behind Schroefel was freshman Sydney Rochford, who showed strong consistency with her best two rounds of the year. Rochford followed an 84 on Monday with an 86 on Tuesday, as her two-round total of 170 was good for ninth place.
Renae Heisler checked in at 12th place, finishing the tournament with a two-round total of 176 (83-93). Also competing for the ‘Jackets was freshman Kylee Knobloch, who shot a 192 (95-97) and took 22nd place.
THE BUZZ: Dexter was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day.
NEXT UP: The Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships are the final event on the calendar for the Yellowjackets, and will run April 23-24 at Coeur d’Alene Resort in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Yellowjacket Spring Invitational
Final Results | April 17, 2018
Lake Hills Golf Club | Billings, MT
Team – 1. MSU Billings, 637 (315-322). Individual – 1. Bailee Dexter, MSUB, 155 (80-75); 2. Sammy Walter, MSUB, 159 (78-81); 3. Shealyn Hafer, MSUB, 160 (80-80); T5. Sarah Schroefel, MSUB, 163 (77-86); 9. Sydney Rochford, MSUB (Ind.), 170 (84-86); T12. Renae Heisler, MSUB, 176 (83-93); 22. Kylee Knobloch, MSUB, 192 (95-97).
In the men’s tournament, Caleb Stetzner tied for second to lead MSUB.
The Yellowjackets finished in second as a team, with a three-round score of 884 (297-287-300) on the par-72, 6,802-yard course. MSUB just missed first-place University of Jamestown, which won the six-team event with a three-round total of 882 (294-287-301).
Stetzner finished at 1-over-par 217 in the tournament, as he carded a 73 on Tuesday after back-to-back par rounds of 72 on Monday. The sophomore finished with three birdies, and for the second straight day carded an eagle. His best hole came on the par-5, 546-yard 13th, where he saved a pair of strokes. Stetzner tied Austin Rene of UJ for second place.
Also in the top-five for MSUB was freshman Caleb Trost, who finished the event in fourth with a 219 (75-69-75). Trost’s final round on Tuesday included three birdies, and he had just one double bogey on the day to finish with a 3-over-par 75. Trost was just three strokes off his best three-round total of the year, which was a 216 in MSUB’s last tournament at the Western New Mexico University Invitational.
Sophomore Garrett Woodin and junior Scott Larson also posted top-10 finishes for the Yellowjackets. Woodin finished in a tie for eighth with a three-round score of 223, and finished his tournament with a pair of birdies on Tuesday. Woodin saved strokes both on the par-4, 390-yard 16th hole, and the par-5, 550-yard second hole.
Larson checked in at 10th place, finishing with MSUB’s second-best score of the day with a 3-over-par 75. Larson had a pair of birdies on the front-nine, matching Woodin with one on the second and adding another on the par-5, 522-yard ninth.
Freshman Jayd Dion wound up in 14th place at the event, as he finished with a three-round score of 230. The highlight of Dion’s event came in the form of a 2-under-par 70 on Monday, and he followed with an 83 on Tuesday. Dion started his round with a birdie on the par-4, 436-yard 17th hole, and carded another on the par-4, 356-yard third hole.
Riley Kaercher finished just two strokes behind Dion, taking 16th place with a total score of 232. Kaercher finished his tournament with an 82 on Tuesday, and had 10 pars.
Sean Benson of Montana Tech claimed the individual title, after shooting a three-round score of 216 including a 69 on Tuesday.
THE BUZZ: Larson was picked as the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day.
AHEAD: MSUB prepares for the 2018 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships, which run April 23-24 at the Coeur d’Alene Resort in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Yellowjacket Spring Invitational
Final Results | April 17, 2018
Lake Hills Golf Club | Billings, MT
Team – 1. University of Jamestown, 882 (294-287-301); 2. MSU Billings, 884 (297-287-300). Individual – 1. Sean Benson, Montana Tech, 216 (75-72-69); T2. Caleb Stetzner, MSUB, 217 (72-72-73); 4. Caleb Trost, MSUB, 219 (75-69-75); T8. Garrett Woodin, MSUB, 223 (74-72-77); 10. Scott Larson, MSUB, 226 (77-74-75); 14. Jayd Dion, MSUB, 230 (77-70-83); 16. Riley Kaercher, MSUB, 232 (76-74-82).
