MHS golf: State meet ends with Lamberson third

The Marshall contingent to the MSHSAA Class 1 Championships -- (from left) senior Morgan Lamberson, coach John Weaver and sophomore Payton Ehrhardt -- went home early after rain washed out the second day of the meet. (Chris Allen/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

SEDALIA -- Marshall senior golfer Morgan Lamberson didn't get a second chance.

Tied for third place after the first round of the MSHSAA Class 1 Championships at Sedalia, Lamberson never got to the tee Tuesday before officials called off the second stage due to persistent rain.

"I'm kind of upset," she said, despite finishing in a tie for third place to secure her third straight all-state medal. "I was ready to play."

It was the first time since 2006 that a second round wasn't played at the state meet, but that was only in Class 1 -- when Lamberson was a freshman finishing 31st in the Class 2 tourney. Yet, it wasn't the color of the medal, but the score she put up Monday, that irked her.

"I don't want to end my career with an 81 because I know I can do better," Lamberson said, truthfully, considering the one-over-par 73 she shot a month earlier on Sedalia Country Club course to win the Smith-Cotton Classic. "There's nothing I can do about it."

Even though she started out with four pars and a birdie on the first day, Lamberson admitted to being "a little shaky."

"I couldn't get a feel for the greens," she said. "The pins were pretty hard. A lot of them were in corners of the greens."

Lamberson threw a couple of three-putts into a stretch of four straight bogies before making the turn and coming in with a 40.

"A lot of the holes are real straight" on the back nine, she explained. "I can hit my driver down the middle."

Lamberson shared third place with senior Kristin Kilpatrick of Westminster Christian in St. Louis. However, she was paired with Barat Academy senior Haelena Schwemmer of St. Louis and Savannah senior Megan Gallagher in the final group. Schwemmer's 78 gave her the title by two strokes over Gallagher, who led the Lady Savages to back-to-back team titles.

"I was excited. I knew the girls in my group," Lamberson said. "We would have had a good time and it would have been competitive."

Meanwhile, the Lady Owls' other entry, sophomore Payton Ehrhardt, could be put in the happy-to-be-there category. She shot 123 on the course in September, but carded a 109 on Monday, even though she doesn't think the first tour of the links was a big factor in her improvement.

"The first time, I didn't think I'd make it to state," Ehrhardt remarked. However, a recent practice round "taught me what clubs I would need to be using."

Ehrhardt believes the experience of playing at state this year could help her down the line if she is able to return.

"When you come here you have no idea what you're coming in to," she said. "It's really different than conference and district."

Besides being more strict, there are the first-tee introductions.

"It made me so nervous being announced," Ehrhardt said, "and I'm normally not nervous when I go out there."

If Lamberson was ever tense, it may have been the first time around. Since then, she has placed 12th, seventh and now third for her third state medal.

"That was one of my goals coming in," said Lamberson, who will continue her playing career next year at NCAA Division II Drury. "I never won, but I'm improving, and that's the main thing."