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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Page Bowman, Glendale Sophomore
Bowman’s freshman season was about as good as it gets. She finished third at the Class 3 state tournament shooting a 79 and 77 to post a two-day total of 156. Prior to that, she won the district tournament and Ozark Conference tournament with matching 74’s.
Emree Cameron, Nevada Junior
Cameron and two-time defending state champion Marlene Edgeman developed quite a rivalry last season. Cameron beat Edgeman by two strokes to win the district tournament with a 70. A week later, Edgeman got Cameron by two strokes at the state tournament where Cameron finished runner-up. At the Bolivar tournament, Cameron proved she could play with anybody beating several golfers on this list head-to-head with a 70 to win the tournament. She will join Edgemen in moving up to Class 3 this season.
Delaney Daniels, Bolivar Sophomore
Daniels shot 97 and 92 for a 189 at her first state golf tournament finishing 36th in Class 3. Prior to that, she posted an 85 at the district tournament (8th place) and an 87 at the Ozark Conference tournament (10th place).
Audrey Duvall, Glendale Junior
Duvall played consistent golf through the postseason shooting between 89 and 94 for her four rounds through conference, district and state. She shot 94 and 91 at the Class 3 state tournament to finish 27th overall. At the MSU Relays, she posted a 78 to finish fifth in a loaded field.
Avery Chappell, Cassville Senior
Chappel was consistent with an 85 and 87 over two days at the Class 2 state tournament to finish ninth overall. She placed fourth at the district tournament the week prior with an 84 finishing behind three other golfers on this list (Edgeman, Cameron, Thessing).
Marlene Edgeman, Marshfield Senior
Edgeman is a two-time defending state champion. The senior won the Class 2 state tournament for a second time with back-to-back 72’s last season. She is an extremely consistent golfer who posted a 72 to finish runner-up at district, a 73 to finish runner-up at the MSU Relays, a 73 to take second at the Ozark Invitational and a 71 to take third at the Bolivar Invitational. She also has the ability to shoot lower as evidenced by her 65 at the Reeds Spring Invitational. She will move up from Class 2 to Class 3 this season.
Shay Gaddis, Carthage Junior
Gaddis is one of the top returning golfers in the COC after she finished third with a 78 last season. She was a seventh-place finisher at the district tournament and 36th place finisher at the Class 4 state tournament with a two-day total of 183 (91-92).
Kylee Hopper, Willard Senior
Hopper was Willard’s leader throughout her junior season. She bounced back from a 96 on the first day of the state tournament with an 87 to post a 183 and take 22nd overall. She was the runner-up at the conference tournament, helping to lead Willard to the team title. Her 83 at the district tournament was good for seventh.
Lauren Mallow, Mountain Grove Senior
Mallow showed what she was capable of on the second day of the Class 2 state tournament. She opened up with a 99 on day one before coming back with a 85 on day two for a 184 and 18th place finish overall.
Sydney Righter, Camdenton Senior
Righter showed what she was capable of at the Ozark Conference tournament with an 83 to finish third overall. Her two-day total of 189 at the Class 3 state tournament was good for 36th overall.
Josey Roberts, Ozark Sophomore
Roberts found immediate success as a freshman placing fifth at the Class 4 state tournament with a two-day total of 156 (76 and 80). She was the district runner-up and COC runner-up. Her runner-up finish at the COC tournament helped Ozark win the team title.
Maci Rogers, Branson Senior
Rogers posted top 10 finishes at the COC tournament (sixth – 86) and the district tournament (fourth -79). At state, she had a two-day total of 191 to finish 41st overall.
Audrey Smith, Rolla Junior
Smith bounced back from an uncharacteristic 97 on day one of the Class 3 state tournament with an 89 to finish 27th overall. She was consistently in the 80’s for the big tournaments throughout the season shooting 88 at district (ninth place), 83 at the Ozark Conference tournament (fourth place) and 84 at the MSU Relays.
Savannah Thessing, New Covenant Senior
Thessing won the Class 1 individual state title each of her first two seasons. Last year, the Warriors moved up to Class 2 where Thessing still had a strong showing, finishing fourth overall with a 163. She was third at district behind Nevada’s Emree Cameron Marshfield’s Marelene Edgeman, who went on to finish in the top two spots at state. Both Cameron and Edgeman have moved up to Class 3 this year leaving the door open for Thessing to make a run at another title.
Grace Tiedemann, Catholic Sophomore
Tiedemann is the latest in a long line of stellar Springfield Catholic golfers. As a freshman, Tiedemann finished 18th at the Class 4 state tournament shooting a consistent 85 and 83 for a 168 total. She was third at the district tournament. Tiedemann also posted top five finishes at the Ozark, Bolivar and Seymour Invitationals among other meets.
