MANHATTAN, Kan. – The FGCU women's golf team began play for the 2015-16 season with a team score of 315 through the first round of competition at the 19th Annual Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational. The Eagles held ninth place at the end of the first round at Colbert Hills Golf Club but saw play suspended due to weather before the second round finished.
 
After one complete round, Middle Tennessee State held the lead with a +7 team score of 295. SMU, Central Arkansas, TCU and Missouri rounded out the top-five, each with a score of 305 or better, while host Kansas State held sixth place with a score of 306.
 
With a +27 team score, the Eagles stand just three strokes behind eighth-ranked Kansas and led Stephen F. Austin, Nebraska and Redlands CC by over seven strokes after one full round.
 
"Conditions were tough today and the way the ball rolled and the wind blew affected us," said fifth-year head coach Sarah Trew.  "We started off well but I think we were a little nervous and the conditions started to wear on us. We had a few big numbers so if we can stick to making a bogey at worst, we will knock some shots off in the next two rounds. This is a great learning experience for us and I think we can take a lot away from this event."
Individually, FGCU was led by rookie Madeline Marck-Sherk (Ridgeway, Ontario/Ridgeway Crystal Beach High School) who carded a +5 score of 77 in her first collegiate round. Marck-Sherk began her college career with a birdie on the 12th hole and finished the round with three birdies and just four holes above par. The freshman placed 21st in the field following the first full round.
 
Senior Mei Khuan Yong (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia/S.M.K. Cochrane) also placed among the top-30 in the field with a first-round score of 78. Yong's +6 round saw birdies on holes 4, 7 and 16 and included just three holes above par.
 
In her first event with the Eagles transfer Megan Blonien (Altus, Okla./Altus High School/Oklahoma State) carded a first-round score of 79. Blonien's +7 score placed among the top-35 in the field. The junior carded a single bogey and birdie on her front nine and recorded 12 holes with par scores at the Colbert Hills Golf Club.
 
The Eagles used a +9 score of 81 from Madison Easterbrook (Burlington, Ontario/Aldershot High School) to bring the team score to 315 and also saw a Kelsy Holbert (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner High School) in her first collegiate appearance.
 
The second round of competition began Monday afternoon but was halted due to severe weather. Play will resume Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 7:20 a.m. CT with plans to complete the tournament's full 54-hole slate.
 
Live stats of the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational can be followed at www.golfstat.com. Results will be available at www.kstatesports.com at the conclusion of play on Tuesday. Complete results and information will also be available at FGCUAthletics.com following each day of competition.
 
 
Individual Results: Round 1
T21. Madeline Marck-Sherk 77
T29. Mei Khuan Yong 78
T34. Megan Blonien 79
T43. Madison Easterbrook 81
67. Kelsy Holbert 91
 
Complete Results
1.Middle Tennessee 295
2.SMU 296
3.Central Arkansas 298
4.TCU 302
5.Missouri 305
6.Kansas State 306
7.Arkansas Little Rock 311
8.Kansas 312
9.FGCU 315
10.Stephen F. Austin 322
     Nebraska 322
12.Redlands CC 349