KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Sam Paulak showed some uncharacteristic struggles in her first stroke-play round of the new season.
The Park Hill junior and returning Class 2 Missouri State Golf Championships qualifier started with three bogeys or worse in her first five holes Monday, Aug. 24 at Shoal Creek Golf Course. Eventually, she rebounded to card an 8-over 80 in the Liberty North Invitational, good for a seventh-place tie and a medal — given to the top 15.
Paulak’s round started with a bogey on the par-4 third. After back-to-back pars, she then carded two straight double-bogeys on the par-4 sixth and par-5 seventh holes.
Overall, Park Hill featured in sixth place tie in the final standings of the 15-team field with a 383. Pembroke Hill ran away with the event, winning by 14 strokes over Liberty with a 312. Park Hill South — which did not bring its top golfers wound up 11th with a 418. The Panthers regular varsity players were held out due to this weekend’s upcoming trip to the Camdenton Invitational held at Old Kinderhook in Camdenton, Mo.
Katie Eichens was the top finisher for Park Hill South with a 100.
Park Hill sophomore Kelbey Emerson was the only other local golfer to break 100 with a 98. On Friday, Emerson and Paulak teamed up to win the Liberty Invitational, which featured a two-person scramble format to kick off the season. The two shot an even-par 72 at Cardinal Hill Country Club in Liberty, Mo. The Trojans were second as a team.