HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS STATE GOLF TOURNAMENT CLASS 6A

NLR freshman erases 7-shot deficit

North Little Rock freshman Mackenzie Lee made five birdies over the final 10 holes to win the Class 6A girls state golf title Wednesday.
North Little Rock freshman Mackenzie Lee made five birdies over the final 10 holes to win the Class 6A girls state golf title Wednesday.

ROGERS -- Eight holes into her round Wednesday afternoon, Mackenzie Lee said she didn't feel any pressure because she thought things couldn't get worse.

The North Little Rock freshman was right.

At A Glance

Class 6A Girls State Golf Tournament

at Shadow Valley Country Club, Rogers

Team Scores

Bentonville^258-252 — 510

Rogers^289-278 — 567

Fayetteville^282-297 — 579

Cabot^286-305 — 591

Springdale Har-Ber^289-314 — 603

FS Southside^302-324 — 626

Individual results

*Mackenzie Lee, North Little Rock^70-71 — 141

*Lilly Thomas, Bentonville^68-77 — 145

*Lauren Loeb, Mount St. Mary^85-82 — 167

*Kinslee Miller, Bentonville^90-79 — 169

*Terry Uhm, FS Southside^81-91 — 172

*Amanda Sakalares, Rogers^88-90 — 178

Anna Retchin, Fayetteville^90-92 — 182

*Anna Ziegler, Fayetteville^88-96 — 184

*Grace Kilcrease, Har-Ber^84-102 — 186

*Erin Culhane, Rogers^97-90 — 187

Caitlin LaCerra, Bryant^98-89 — 187

Hannah Heflin, Cabot^90-98 — 188

Holly Heslep, Cabot^91-101 — 192

Abbey Ott, Har-Ber^97-95 — 192

Isabel Chaidez, Mount St. Mary^95-98 — 193

Chloe Ellis, Bentonville^100-96 — 196

Jade McKnight, Rogers^104-98 — 202

Sydney Billington, Bentonville^105-102 — 207

Kelsie Taylor, Cabot^105-106 — 211

Sam Steiner, Conway^111-101 — 212

Elizabeth Atchley, Fayetteville^104-109 — 213

Sam Lisowski, Rogers^109-105 — 214

Alexa Chapin, FS Southside^106-111 — 217

Brooklyn Waller, Bryant^105-113 — 218

Anya Tillman, Bentonville^117-107 — 224

Macey Wyler, Har-Ber^108-119 — 227

Evie Marx, Fayetteville^110-138 — 248

Megan Cook/Sydney Allensworth, Rogers*^117-106 — 223

Claire Bowden, Har-Ber^114-117 — 231

Meredith Medford, Bryant^117-118 — 235

Katie Settle, FS Southside^115-122 — 237

Molly Myers, Bentonville West — 115-126 — 241

Starling Ledbetter, Fayetteville^115-129 — 244

Kaycie Merrell, Cabot^119-133 — 252

Lilly Harrop, Har-Ber^130-127 — 257

Alyssa Ledbetter, FS Southside^140-125 — 265

Miriam Rodas, FS Southside^140-130 — 270

Lee overcame a seven-stroke deficit to claim a four-stroke victory over Bentonville senior Lilly Thomas at the Class 6A girls state golf tournament at Shadow Valley Country Club. Lee had five birdies over the last 10 holes and finished with a 1-under 71 and two-day total of 3-under 141.

"I felt less pressure with the worse I played," Lee said. "It was freezing out there at one point. Nothing specific was working. I felt like my shots were a little less than they were [Tuesday], but my putting was a little better. I also felt my game was better.

"I was always aware of what could happen, whether I could win or make a big mistake and lose it all. I was pretty sure by the 17th hole, after I got a birdie on the previous hole, that I could win it."

Thomas, who enjoyed a two-stroke lead before the round started, extended her lead when she hit three consecutive birdies on Nos. 3-5 while Lee suffered a triple bogey on No. 5. Both golfers then hit par on the next three holes to allow Thomas to retain a seven-stroke lead.

The holes that Thomas had birdied during Tuesday's round turned on her this time. She suffered a triple bogey on No. 9 and lost her lead with a double bogey on No. 12. She fell behind with a double bogey on No. 15 while Lee made a par for a one-stroke lead.

"I struggled mentally starting on the back nine," said Thomas, who finished with a 77 on Wednesday. "I somewhat kept things together on some of the holes, but Mackenzie just played great. She played consistent throughout both rounds. She one-upped me, and she played great.

"I got into some trouble with some sand on No. 15, and that made my score a little worse. I tried to keep my head and finish as strong as I could."

Bentonville had no problems earning its second consecutive state championship as the Lady Tigers finished with a two-day team total of 510, 57 strokes ahead of Rogers, which started the second round in a tie for fourth with Springdale Har-Ber.

While Thomas couldn't improve on her score, her Bentonville teammates did. Kinslee Miller, who started the round in a three-way tie for eighth, shot a 79 for a two-day score of 169 to move up to fourth place. Chloe Ellis added a 96, four strokes better than Tuesday's performance.

"It was exciting to go back to back," Bentonville Coach Lindsey Davis said. "Last year's title was momentous, and this was a great day for Bentonville.

"I told the girls that they couldn't ever be comfortable with any lead. I wanted them to play their game, and they did. I thought all of them were going to play much better, and that's what they did."

Sports on 09/27/2018

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