SPRINGDALE -- The high school girls' golf season could not have gotten off to a much better start for Bentonville on Tuesday.
The Lady Tigers posted five of the top six scores at the Springdale Har-Ber Lady Wildcat Invitational and won the one-day tournament in overwhelming fashion, scoring a three-player total of 251 to jump start the new season at Springdale Country Club. Hannah Brauburger led the way for Bentonville with an 82 in the 18-hole event to win medalist honors, but several teammates were right on her heels as the Lady Tigers showed off plenty of depth.
Prep Golf
Lady Wildcat Invitational
at Springdale Country Club
Bentonville 251
Springdale Har-Ber 308
Fayetteville 318
Van Buren 349
Rogers Heritage 362
Individual Scores
Hannah Brauburger, Bentonville^82
Kate Robertson, Bentonville^83
Tautum Billington, Bentonville^86
Joanna Keck, Springdale Har-Ber^86
Katie McCloskey, Bentonville^91
McKenzie Dixon, Bentonville^95
Reagan Gates, Fayetteville^95
Kendall Vermileon, Fayetteville^102
Bri Pearson, Springdale Har-Ber^110
Hadley Apple, Springdale Har-Ber^112
Mattison Griffin, Van Buren^112
Baylee Maes, Rogers Heritage^117
Jaelyn Cooper, Van Buren^118
Jamilyn Kinney, Van Buren^119
Chloe Kordsmeier, Rogers Heritage^119
Katelyn Campbell, Fayetteville^121
Faith Vongremp, Rogers Heritage^126
Kate Robertson finished right behind Brauburger for Bentonville with an 83 and Tautum Billington posted the third-best score of the tournament with an 86 as the Lady Tigers roared to a 57-stroke victory over runner-up Springdale Har-Ber in the five-team invitational.
"It's really fun because we all work together for the good scores," Brauburger said. "We're just hoping we can all work together for state and conference and have some team bonding and all those close scores can continue."
Fayetteville, the defending Class 7A state champion, was shorthanded on Tuesday as senior Anna Grace Lavy was not in the lineup. The Lady Bulldogs entered the invitational with just four players and then were forced to play through the round with just three when McKenzie Kley withdrew after eight holes due to an illness. Fayetteville finished with a team score of 318 for third place.
But even with a full roster, Fayetteville would have been hard-pressed to keep up with Bentonville on Tuesday. Along with Brauburger, Robertson and Billington, the Lady Tigers also got a 91 from Katie McCloskey and a score of 95 from McKenzie Dixon.
"I am very excited. It turned out like I thought and we had a good top five," Bentonville girls golf coach Lindsey Davis said. "We hope we can keep up the good work and keep this up on the end."
Joanna Keck recorded an 86 to lead tournament host Springdale Har-Ber to its runner-up finish. "The course was beautiful and we appreciate them inviting us out," Davis said. "I think the girls had a little trouble starting out with the fast greens, but I think they got acclimated on the back nine.
"This is a very close knit group and they all practice together even when we're not in a group. So we've got a great group of girls. They're hard-working and persistent and I think it's going to be a fantastic year."
Van Buren finished fourth with a 349 and Rogers Heritage rounded out the team results with a 362.
The boys' teams will compete in the tournament today also at Springdale Country Club.
Sports on 08/06/2014