Super senior Kate Smith returns for a fifth season to lead the Nebraska women’s golf team in search of postseason competition in 2020-21. That hunt for the postseason begins today when Nebraska competes at the Trinity Forest Invitational in Dallas, Texas.
Smith, who earned the Big Ten’s Mary Fossum Award after producing the conference’s top stroke average (72.18) relative to par last season, has continued to improve her game despite the worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus in 2020. While the virus prevented Smith from taking part in NCAA Regional play as an individual last season, the stoppage allowed her and other seniors around the nation an additional year of eligibility.
She began preparing for 2020-21 almost immediately by capturing her second Minnesota Women’s Amateur Championship in July. In early August, she advanced to the round of 32 at the 120th U.S. Women’s Amateur at the Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md. Smith earned the No. 15 seed in the match play portion of the event after putting together two strong stroke play rounds in Maryland.
“Kate kept getting better throughout last season and developed as both a player and a leader for our team,” Nebraska Coach Lisa Johnson said. “She had a really good summer and we’re excited to see what this year can hold for her and our entire team.”
Recently, Smith also earned an invitation to play at the second annual Augusta National Women’s Amateur. A first-team All-Big Ten selection in an abbreviated 2020 season, Smith will shoot for her fifth consecutive year of setting the Nebraska single-season stroke average record while hoping to power the Huskers to NCAA Regional competition.
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