When Emma Talley won the last of three KHSAA state golf titles in 2011, the Caldwell County High standout was one of three golfers from west of Bowling Green to finish in the top 75 on the leaderboard. There were no teams west of Bowling Green in the top 11.
Things sure have changed in the past decade.
At the 2020 state tournament, Owensboro’s Macey Brown won the championship and was one of four golfers from far western Kentucky in the top seven and six in the top 20. Marshall County claimed the state team title, and Madisonville was sixth.
The improvement of girls’ golf in far western Kentucky isn’t lost on Talley. The LPGA pro walked the Calvert City Country Club course Saturday as it played host to the Marshall County Invitational. Talley paid special attention to Lyon County’s Cathryn Brown, a good friend of the family. She also got to watch 2020 Miss Golf Trinity Beth of Marshall County, Graves County’s Ellie West, and Hopkinsville’s Cate Blane among others.
Talley talked about the growth of girls’ golf in the First and Second Regions in the interview below.
