Marshall County shot a school-record 285 to win Tuesday's tournament in Bowling Green. (Aaron Beth Photo)
If you were wondering how the Marshall County girlS’ golf team would respond after winning last year’s state championship — the first team from far west Kentucky to win a state title since 1977 — the answer came loud and clear Monday.
Marshall played at Bowling Green Country Club for the first time since winning the state title there last season and responded in a big way. The Marshals — who returned all five players who played in last year’s state — shot a torrid 301 to beat Sacred Heart by 22 shots. The top four players had 18-hole scores of 74-75-76-76.
“Nobody played great,” Marshall coach Aaron Beth said.
Say what?
That score was impressive — but not as impressive as what Marshall County did Tuesday at CrossWinds Golf Course in Bowling Green. Marshall shot a team-record 285 led by eighth-grader Trinity Beth’s school record 65.
“She (Trinity Beth) did not hit driver one time and still shot 65 so that means her short game was really working,” said Aaron Beth, Trinity’s father and coach. “I really don’t get to see her play that much during the high school season but she had a great day. She really was not happy with the 75 she shot Monday. It was a shorter course than she had been playing and just was not real pleased.”
Marshall also returned seniors Savannah Howell — fifth in last year’s state — and Megan Hertter — 16th at the state in 2020. They will play college golf at Western Kentucky and Florida Southern, respectively. The other returning team members are freshman Katie Roberts and junior Elsie Riley.
The team has only six players but the new addition could make Marshall even harder to beat in postseason play. Seventh-grader CeCelia Ray has gone 76-79 in tournaments this week.
“I knew she was a good player and I am really proud of the way she has started,” Aaron Beth said. “The state and other big tournaments will have longer courses but we have known her for a few years. She goes to middle school with Trinity. This is the first year she has played up (in age) like this but she could be a big help.”
Trinity Beth, fourth in last year’s state and the 2020 Kentucky Miss Golf, has had a busy and productive last month. She won the Kentucky Girls Junior PGA Championship — teammate Howell was fourth. That put her in the Girls Junior PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Course in Louisville along with 143 of the nation’s best players 18 and under. She tied for 23rd at 3-over par and had coaches from Duke, Stanford and UCLA following her group at one time.
If that is not impressive enough, she also won her first American Junior Golf Association title in Alabama by five shots after opening the tournament with a 4-under round. She will also be playing in an AJGA event at Harmony Landing Country Club in Louisville.
“I think she has played 19 of the last 21 days in the last three weeks. She should be tired but she would have probably been out playing even if she had not been in tournaments,” Aaron Beth said.
Trinity Beth pays close attention to what former western Kentucky golfer Emma Talley, a three-time state champion at Caldwell County, does now on the LPGA Tour. They watched her dramatic play in Northern Ireland last week when she lost in a playoff.
“We hate that she lost but we were watching and it is so great to have her as a role model for Trinity and all our girls,” the Marshall coach said. “We keep up every week with what Emma does. The recruiting process has started (for Trinity) and I recently talked to Emma’s dad about that and he gave me some good advice on what might go on and how to approach things.”
