Ffion Tynan guided Missouri to a comeback from 10th place during the final two rounds of the competition.
The 2023-24 season started well for Missouri women’s golf. On the back of a strong final two rounds, Missouri scored an 843 to earn a fourth place finish in the Sam Golden Invitational tournament earlier this week at Oakmont Country Club in Corinth, TX.
Junior Ffion Tynan led the Tigers on the individual scorecard in her first taste of action following her transfer from Arkansas. After finding herself sitting at par following the first round, Tynan shot 5-under-par the next two rounds, including her first eagle of the season on hole 13 in the second round to finish the tournament at 10-under (72-67-67). Her 206 strokes earned her a tie for seventh place, just four strokes behind individual champion Ellen Yates from Houston.
Like Tynan, Missouri had its worst performance in the first round. The Tigers shot 1-over-par with 289 strokes, ending the first round in a tie for 10th place with TCU. Missouri responded emphatically in the second round, shooting 12-under at 276 strokes, tying the eventual tournament champion Houston Cougars with the lowest score of the round. The Tigers would ride this momentum into the third round, shooting 278. This score would put them at 21-under-par overall by tournament’s end.
The second round comeback was fueled by a record-tying showing from freshman Fleur van Beek (75-67-70). Beek shot a 67 in the second round, tying Emma Allen’s program record for lowest score by a freshman in an individual round in Missouri women’s golf history, set back in 2015. She finished the tournament 4-under-par, as did sophomore Melanie Walker (74-71-67). The duo ended in a tie for 22nd place.
Senior Emily Staples entered Tuesday’s play in 14th place, but did not continue her success in the third round. She shot 7-over-par (68-71-79), which dropped her 31 spots to finish the day in 45th place.
Rounding out the team portion of the competition was graduate student Winnie Ng. Ng shot 2-over-par (75-74-74), putting herself in a tie for 60th place.
Competing individually was sophomore Jade Zamora, who shot 15-over-par (77-73-81) to finish in 68th place.
Missouri will return to play on September 25th, when they look to extend their eight-year streak of tournament wins at the Johnie Imes Invitational. The Tigers will play host to the three day tournament, which will take place at The Club at Old Hawthorne in Columbia, MO.
Edited by Quentin Corpuel
Copy edited by Grace Knight
Edited by Sophie Rentschler