Nevada golfers finish fourth in inaugural tournament

Aubrey Jones might not have had a team-qualifying score, but she was the best Nevada player on Monday. Jones carded a 53, but was not on the five-person team as Nevada finished fourth in their opening tournament at the Nevada Country Club. Teammate Rachel Prewitt had the lowest team score with a 55.

By Joe Warren

Nevada Daily Mail

The first Nevada Invitational Golf Tournament went off without any major problems, despite two teams almost not making the trip.

Pleasant Hill had a flat tire on their way to Monday's tournament, and the Clinton bus broke down but the two teams both made it to the Nevada Country Club in time to play.

Clinton ended up winning the tournament, thanks to traveling parents providing transportation for the players when their bus broke down, shooting a combined 210 to finish up by seven shots over Seneca.

The Nevada Tigers finished fourth, 23 strokes off the pace, as nerves appeared to get the better of a few Tiger players.

"I think they were a little nervous for their first (tournament)," head coach Kelly Gray said. "The girls are just going to have to do a lot better if they want to compete in state."

The Tigers got a glimpse of where they will need to be to win their district at the end of the season, since Clinton is a district foe.

This season the Missouri State High School Activities Association has changed the number of state-qualifying teams per district from two to one. Only the district champion gets to compete at state.

Senior Rachel Prewitt might have been the exception for the Tigers when it comes to nervousness. Prewitt shot a 55, to get the lowest score on the team.

She was followed by Emily Benbrook, who shot a 56, despite getting into trouble early when she hit a ball out of bounds at the second hole then followed it up by hitting a tree from the drop spot.

Tabitha Pitts, who has looked good in practice at times, struggled, shooting a 61.

"Tabitha kind of had a bad day," Gray said.

Someone who did not have a bad day was sophomore Aubrey Jones. Only playing a "practice round" since there was an opening, Jones actually would have led the team with a 53 had her score counted. Since she was the sixth player going into the tournament and only five players get to use their scores in Missouri, Jones' great day did not help the team.

It did help her get in the top five for the next tournament, even though Nevada will be playing in Kansas and their rules allow six players per team instead of five.

Overall, Gray was happy with the tournament.

"I've never had one of these before," she said.

There were six teams in attendance, besides Nevada.

"I think they all really enjoyed themselves," Gray said. "We hope to grow to a bigger tournament (in the future)."

The Tigers next play in Moran, Kan., on Friday. Everybody on the team (eight players) will get to play in that tournament.