RAPID CITY, S.D. – Three players finishing in the top five at the South Dakota School of Mines Hardrocker Invitational was enough to give the Montana State University Billings women's golf team the title on Tuesday at Arrowhead Country Club.
 
Avery Gill tied for first place at the event, but Rianna Garland of South Dakota Mines held off the Yellowjacket junior in a playoff hole to claim the individual title. Tierney Messmer took third place and Kinsey Irvin tied for fourth as the Yellowjackets ran away with the team crown by 19 strokes on the par-71, 5,871-yard course. "It was another solid day by Avery," said MSUB head coach Jeff Allen. "Anything low 80s was a very solid score for the conditions, and she did a good job of continuing to hit good shots. Overall it was a solid performance from her."
 
Once again battling extreme weather conditions with sustained 30 mile-per-hour winds and temperatures in the 30s, MSUB managed to shoot a team score of 349 on Tuesday and finished the event with a two-round total of 681 (332-349). "The women played well, and it was tough conditions again today," said Allen. "They did a good job of doing the best they could out there. These were a lot higher team scores than we'd like to see but it was good enough to hang on to the win."
 
Gill finished the event with a two-round total of 163, following Monday's 80 with an 83. Gill had just one double bogey on a day where pars were hard to come by for any of the 45 players in the field, and she finished her tournament strong with a 5-over-par 41 on the front-nine to pull into a tie for first. Overall in the 36-hole event Gill made 16 pars and a birdie to lead MSUB.
 
Messmer, who led the event after shooting a 78 on Monday, settled for a 90 on Tuesday and wound up with a two-round score of 168. Messmer made five pars her second time through the course for her best tournament finish of the spring season.
 
Irvin played consistently throughout the event, following Monday's 85 with an 86 on Tuesday for a two-round score of 171. Irvin finished the event strong with a 5-over-par 41 on the front-nine, securing her first top-five finish of the season.
 
Tying for 13th place was junior Jalen Wagner, who shot a 93 on Tuesday and finished with a two-round score of 182 (89-93). Wagner highlighted her second round with a birdie on the par-3, 126-yard 17th hole.
 
Senior Sydney Rochford showed the most improvement in MSUB's lineup on Tuesday, cutting five strokes off her Round 1 score and finishing in a tie for 16th place with a 185 (95-90).
 
Freshmen Brennan Larson and Amanda King each completed their first collegiate tournament on Tuesday as well. Larson took 30th place with a two-round total of 193 (99-94), while King finished in 37th with a 204 (103-101).
 
THE BUZZ: Gill was named the St. Vincent Healthcare Player of the Day…Tuesday marked MSUB's first team tournament win since Oct. 6, 2018 at the Saint Martin's Invitational.
 
NEXT UP: The Yellowjackets will compete in the 2021 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships, running April 19-20 at The Home Course in DuPont, Washington.
 
South Dakota Mines Hardrocker Invitational
Final Results – April 13, 2021
Arrowhead Country Club – Rapid City, South Dakota
 
Team – 1. MSU Billings, 681 (332-349). Individual – T1. Rianna Garland, SD Mines, 163 (81-82)*; T1. Avery Gill, MSUB, 163 (80-83); 3. Tierney Messmer, MSUB, 168 (78-90); T4. Kinsey Irvin, MSUB, 171 (85-86); 13. Jalen Wagner, MSUB, 182 (89-93); T16. Sydney Rochford, MSUB, 185 (95-90); 30. Brennan Larson, MSUB (IND), 193 (99-94); 37. Amanda King, MSUB (IND), 204 (103-101).  *-Won Playoff Hole.