Petty Named GLIAC Golfer of the Year
University of Findlay senior Kasey Petty was tabbed the 2016 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Women's Golfer of the Year on April 24. It is the first time a UF women's golfer has ever received the honor.
Petty led the Oilers to a second place finish at the 2016 GLIAC Championship by finishing the tournament with a 1-under par score of 215 (70, 74, 71). Her score catapulted her into a playoff with Ashland's Ali Green, who carded a 5-under par 67 on Sunday, to force sudden death. Green, who birdied hole 17 to get to 1-under for the tournament, then defeated Petty on the first playoff hole to capture the individual title.
Petty's 54-hole score of 215 was good enough to establish a new school record at Findlay as she bettered Michele Schambs' mark of 219 (+3), set last year at the GLIAC Championship. Her final round score of 71 (-1) on April 24 was also the fourth-lowest total in school history while her 70 (-2) on the opening day was the third-lowest total in UF history.
The Groveport, Ohio native completed the tournament by leading the field in birdies with 11 during the 54 holes. She did most of her damage on par-5's, going four-under for the tournament on those holes.
Petty, who earned first team all-conference honors for the second straight season as well, recorded eight top-10 finishes on the year. She won the Dayton Invitational (Oct. 19-20) and finished as the runner-up at the 2016 GLIAC Championship (April 22-24), the Cav Classic (April 16-17), the William Bing-Beall Fall Classic (Oct. 11-12) and the Laker Fall Invite (Sep. 26-27).
In addition, junior Shelby Warner and freshmen Makenzie Torres and Samantha Hatter were each named second team all-conference.
Warner finished the conference tournament in 12th place with a 54-hole score of 235. She shot a 78 in the first round before posting a 77 in round two. She then closed the tournament with an 80 on Sunday. She has now been named second team all-conference two consecutive seasons.
Torres secured a 13th place finish at the GLIAC Championship to earn her honor. She opened the tournament with an 82 before shooting a 76 in round two. She then posted a 79 in the third round for a three-day total of 237.
Hatter recorded a 76 in the first round of competition and carded an 86 in the second. She ended the event with a 78 in the third round to complete the tournament with a 54-hole score of 240. Her score was good enough for 15th at the tournament and a spot on the all-conference team.