Mason, Garden City Girls Defend State Golf Titles

AUSTIN, TX — The Mason and Garden City girls golf teams are again returning home as the best in Texas.

The two teams successfully defended their titles Tuesday at the UIL State Golf Tournament.

Mason ran away with the Class 2A championship at Lions Municipal Golf Course in Austin by a whopping 72 shots over runner-up Spearman.

It’s the fourth consecutive state title for the Cowgirls.

Junior Avery Burns fired an extremely impressive final-round score of 68 to finish with a two-day total of 140, which was a staggering 14 shots ahead of the field.

Other members of Mason’s team included Ruby Hills (eighth place at 82-82—164), Bronwyn Underwood (ninth, 83-83—166), Caitlin McCrea (37th, 98-103—201) and Anna Whitworth (108-96—204).

Another Concho Valley school, Sonora, finished in third place with a score of 739. The Lady Broncos were led by Gentri Trainer in 12th with a score of 85-84—169.

At the 1A state tournament at Crystal Falls Golf Club in Leander, the Garden City girls began the day two shots behind Utopia for the lead.

The Lady Kats made up the deficit to win the title by 14 shots with a two-day total of 774.

Utopia was the runner-up at 788, while Grady was third at 790. Tom Green County school Veribest was seventh at 838.

Garden City’s Rylee Wood, the defending individual state champ, wasn’t able to rally to win the championship again. 

Wood began the day three shots off the lead in fourth place and closed with another round of 82 to finish in third.

Grady’s Audrey Marler put together rounds of 79 and 77 to earn a six-shot win over Blanket’s Karli Kinkade (80-82—162).

Garden City’s Keegan Batla finished in sixth place with back-to-back rounds of 87.

Other golfers for Garden City included Helen Marshall (25th, 110-101—211), Joslyn Halfmann (44th, 110-115—225) and Gracie Raney (63rd, 113-133—246).

Veribest’s Ryler Buckner was 10th at 87-99—186, while teammate Kayden Broadway was 11th at 96-91—187.

The other champions crowned Tuesday were Odessa Compass in 3A, Andrews in 4A, San Antonio Alamo Heights in 5A, and Coppell in 6A.

Individual state champions included Gunter’s Katy Merchant in 3A, Fort Worth Benbrook’s Avery Glanzer in 4A, Montgomery Lake Creek’s Addie Surber in 5A, and Coppell’s Alicia Bellendir in 6A.