WEST POINT – Mississippi State University head women’s golf coach Ginger Brown-Lemm had one question when she took over the program two years ago.
She couldn’t figure out why MSU didn’t host a tournament of its own.
Wednesday culminated what she called her “dream” by putting together the Inaugural Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational and now the golf professional has a new question.
“Basically after as well as this was done from our end at Mississippi State to the help from the wonderful people at Old Waverly to the other participating schools, we want to make this an annual thing now,” Brown-Lemm said. “When I got here I thought ‘why not host a tournament?’ and well, why not has now become why not every year?”
The Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational was the first regular season home golf tournament hosted by the Lady Bulldogs in program history. After an exciting week with some of the best programs from around the southeast region of the country all agreeing it was a more than enjoyable experience, plans for the 2013 version are already underway.
“We already have the date for 2013 planned out and I want this to be a major selling point for Mississippi State University golf from now on,” Brown-Lemm said. “I sold this to my kids that you’ll get to play at one of the best courses in the country in front of family and friends and they performed well this week.”
Sophomore Ally McDonald turned in a 4-under-par 212 to earn a share of individual third-place in the event where MSU finished in fourth place as a team. On a course she practices and trains with the golf instruction staff on in the offseason, the Fulton native matched her career low total and tied for the second lowest 54-hole score in MSU women’s golf history.
“The home course advantage is always something you can throw in and I can say it was a big deal for me to start off with a good tournament,” McDonald said. “I had a couple strokes advantage but now the task is to prove I can do this anywhere and show I’ve been blessed with the ability to play this game well.”
The team’s 898 card ties for the eighth-lowest tourney finish in Lady Bulldog laurels and third lowest in the Ginger Brown-Lemm era. At 34-over, it is the lowest opening-tournament score in program history.
“We’re a very young team and Ally is one of the flagships that is turning this program around,” Brown-Lemm said. “We have a 60-dog club that we started last year and the first 60-something round was shot by (sophomore) Rica Tse and then she got joined by Ally twice more. That 60-dog plaque in the office is getting bigger by the day.”
Following McDonald, sophomore Rica Tse notched a 228, highlighted by an opening-round 73. In her career debut, Gabi Oubre’ turned in a 230 behind a first-round 74. Mary Langdon Gallagher and Elena Warren rounded out the Lady Bulldog leaderboard with a 233 and 236, respectively.
Competing as individual, freshman Logan Chaney turned in a 230.
The University of Kentucky claimed the team trophy with an 14-over-par total of 878, while Tulane University’s Gemma Dryburgh finished with the individual title with an 8-under-par 208.
The Lady Bulldogs return to action on Oct. 1 at the Johnie Imes Invitational in Columbia, Mo., as the University of Missouri will host its first tournament as a Southeastern Conference member.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 37 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.