⛳️ Jayhawks to Host Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational, Oct. 17-18

LAWRENCE, Kan. – The Kansas women’s golf team will host at the 24th Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational on Monday-Tuesday, Oct. 17-18, at Lawrence Country Club.

In a 15-team field, the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational is a 54-hole tournament which will have a double-team start – on holes No. 1 and No. 10 – with continuous play for 36 holes on Monday and 18 holes on Tuesday. Tee times begin at 8 a.m. (Central) and Kansas will begin at 8:40 a.m. on hole one on Monday. The Lawrence Country Club has a par 72 and measures 6,125 yards. There is no charge for the event and fans are encouraged to attend.

All 11 student-athletes on the Kansas roster will compete. KU’s five-member team will consist of super-senior Esme Hamiliton, sophomores Jordan Rothman, Johanna Ebner and Lauren Clark, and senior Pear Pooratanaopa. The other six Jayhawks – graduate senior Abby Glynn, junior Hanna Hawks, and freshmen Amy DeKock, Katie Ruge, Anna Shultse and Anna Wallin – will be playing as individuals at Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational.

Kansas has posted top-10 finishes in two fall tournaments in 2022, finishing ninth at the Dick McGuire Invitational in Albuquerque on Sept. 12-13, and ninth at the “Mo” Morial Invitational in Bryan, Texas on Sept. 20-21.

Joining Kansas at the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational are Arizona, Boston College, BYU, Iowa, Kent State, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico State, Notre Dame, Sam Houston State, Tulane, UTSA, Washington State and Wisconsin.

The Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational began in 1994 and is named after Kansas graduate Marilynn Smith. The 23 previous Marilynn Smiths have been all been played in Kansas at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Crestview Country Club in Wichita, Alvamar Golf Club in Lawrence, Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan and Willowbend Golf Club in Wichita. This will be its first stop at Lawrence Country Club. Kansas was won the event seven times (1997, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2012 and 2013).

One of the 14 founders of the LPGA, Smith was born in Topeka, Kansas, and a Kansas State Amateur tournament champion three times (1946-1947-1948). She won the 1949 NCAA Women’s National Championship, individually for KU, and was a 22-time winner on the LPGA. Smith, who died in 2019 at the age of 89, was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2006.

Live scoring for the Marilynn Smith Sunflower Invitational will be via Goltstat.com and can be found here.