After an impressive performance at the 2018 Big 12 Championship at the par-72, 6,125-yard Dallas Athletic Club, senior Connie Jaffrey will be expecting to hear her name announced on Wednesday during the NCAA Regional selection show.
Jaffrey has experience in the NCAA Regional; she played on K-State’s NCAA Regional team last year. If Jaffrey hears her name on Wednesday, she will be the first Wildcat to participate in the Regional since Madison Talley in 2015 and 2016.
Jaffrey went into her last conference championship ranked No. 61 nationally by Golfstat. She lived up to her ranking and achieved her best score. She placed in the conference championship, finishing with a 54-hole score of 223, 7-over par.
Head coach Kristi Knight said she was very proud of her senior golfer at the Big 12 Championship and said she knows that she is capable of big things at the NCAA Regional.
“Connie played well in gusty conditions,” Knight said to K-State Sports. “She has had a strong senior season, and it will continue in two weeks at the NCAA’s.”
As great as Jaffrey’s performance was, the Wildcats as a team did not have a good performance. They finished in eighth place at 63-over par, 927.
Along with Jaffrey, the Wildcats had four freshman on the leaderboard. Ella Adams was behind her for the Wildcats as she tied for 29th at 15-over par 231. Niamh McSherry tied for 35th at 19-over par 235. Reid Isaac finished nine spots behind McSherry and placed in a tie for 42nd at 28-over par 244. Darby Deans finished in 45th place at 37-over par 253.
Although the team as a whole did not have a good performance, Knight said she is very confident in her young team and she knows the future is very bright.
“I know the team wanted to finish strong, but we just did not play well any round as a team,” Knight said to K-State Sports. “The younger returning players have received great experience this season — both winning and disappointment. This is a great group of young ladies.”
The Texas Longhorns took home the hardware for the second straight year as they scored a 16-over par 800. The Longhorns outshot the Baylor Bears and the Oklahoma State Cowboys by eight shots as both tied for second place.
The 2018 NCAA Regional selection show will be televised on Golf Channel at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.
