By Chris Parker
There are many talented girls golfers across our coverage area. Below are some of the girls golfers to watch this season.
NOTE: The athletes are listed in alphabetical order.
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Jadaea Asa, Glendale Senior
Asa was a key piece of Glendale’s conference and district championship winning squads last year. She was the Ozark Conference runner-up behind teammate Susannah Blackwell by just one stroke. Asa was the No. 4 golfer on the district championship winning team. At state, Asa fired a 102 followed by a 94 to finish 42nd place overall and help Glendale to a third place finish as a team.
Hailey Bryant, Carthage Senior
Bryant had the area’s second-best finish at the Class 3 state tournament with an eighth place showing last year. She posted scored of 87 and 82 to finish 10 strokes back of the champion. She was also runner-up at both the COC and Class 3 District 3 Tournaments.
Marlene Edgeman, Marshfield Sophomore
Edgeman saved her best for last in 2020. The freshman was not intimidated by the big stage, as she shot a two-day total of 165 (81-84) to finish ninth overall at the Class 2 state tournament. She was fourth place at the Class 2 District 3 tournament. At the Big 8 tournament, Edgeman finished tied for seventh to earn second-team all-conference honors.
Mia Farrar, Nixa Sophomore
Nixa finished third at the Central Ozark Conference Tournament as a team and Farrar was a big reason why. She shot an 87 to claim third place at the tournament, which made her Nixa’s lone finisher in the top 10. Her sixth place finish at the district tournament helped her qualify for state where she shot back-to-back 89’s to finish 27th overall.
Abby Hobbs, Rolla Senior
Hobbs was Rolla’s lone state qualifier last year as a junior. She shot 90 and 91 over the two days to finish 21st overall in Class 3. At districts, Hobbs shot an 89 to finish fifth overall. She helped Rolla to a runner-up finish as a team at the Ozark Conference Tournament on the strength of her third place finish, which she finished tied with two other golfers.
Lyla Louderbaugh, Catholic Junior
Louderbaugh was consistent throughout Catholic’s dominant post-season run never finishing below eighth place in the conference, district or state tournament. She was fourth place at the Big 8 Tournament and fifth at the district tournament. At state, Louderbaugh shot an 83 and 77 to finish eighth place and help Catholic win the team state title.
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Kyleigh Pfitzner, Catholic Senior
Pfitzner was the second Catholic finisher at the Class 2 state tournament last year. Her scores of 81 and 77 over the two days were enough for a sixth place finish. At the district tournament, she tied with teammate Reagan Zibilski with a 74 to finish runner-up.
Catherine Rhoads, Glendale Junior
Rhoads was strong throughout the post-season for Glendale with a third place finish at the Ozark Conference Tournament, an 11th place finish at the district tournament, and she capped off the season with a 41st place finish at the Class 3 state tournament. Glendale won the team titles at both conference and district before finishing in third place at state.
Celia Stiltner, Catholic Senior
Stiltner had a strong second day of the Class 2 state tournament last year going from a 95 on day one to an 88 on day two. That 183 stroke total gave her a 19th place finish. She was No. 4 finisher for the state champion Lady Irish. At the Big 8 tournament, Stiltner finished seventh. At district, she was sixth.
Savannah Thessing, New Covenant Sophomore
New Covenant played in the program’s first golf tournament last September. Just six weeks later in mid-October, the Lady Warriors crowned their first state champion in freshman Savannah Thessing. She shot a 92 on the first day of the Class 1 state tournament and trailed the leader by five strokes. On day two, she stormed back with an 81 to win the competition by three strokes. Thessing also won a district title with a 79.
Reagan Zibilski, Catholic Senior
Zibilksi is last on this list alphabetically, but she will likely be first at every tournament she plays this year. The senior was dominant at the Class 2 state tournament last year shooting 70 and 69 over the two days to win the state title by 14 strokes. She was also the Big 8 champion and district runner-up. Zibilski has committed to the University of Arkansas to continue her golf career.
