
Kelly Merkel
YR. | Fr. |
HOMETOWN | Columbia, Tenn. |
PREV. SCHOOL | Columbia Central HS |
COLLEGIATE HONORS
2015-16 OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll
2015-16 OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll
2014-15 OVC Commissioner's Honor Roll
OVC Golfer of the Week (11/5/14)2015-16 BESTS
Low Round: 76 (Lipscomb Dual - Fall)
Low 36-Hole Tournament: 165 (F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate)
Low 54-Hole Tournament: 245 (PGA Minority Championship)
Best Finish: 3rd (Lipscomb Dual - Spring)
Best Tournament Finish: 15 (PGA Minority Championship)
Low Round: 76 (Lipscomb Dual - Fall)
Low 36-Hole Tournament: 165 (F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate)
Low 54-Hole Tournament: 245 (PGA Minority Championship)
Best Finish: 3rd (Lipscomb Dual - Spring)
Best Tournament Finish: 15 (PGA Minority Championship)
COLLEGIATE BESTS
Low Round: 75 (Jan Weaver MSU Invitational, Rd. 3 – Fall, 2014)
Low 36-Hole Tournament: 160 (F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate – Fall, 2014)
Low 54-Hole Tournament: 241 (2x, last: Jan Weaver MSU Invitational – Fall, 2014)
Best Finish: 1st (TSU vs. Lipscomb Duel)
Best Tournament Finish: 6 (Alabama State Fall Classic - 2012)
JUNIOR SEASON (2014-15)
Finished the season averaging 83.8 per round, the best of her career… Competed in all 10 events, completing 21 rounds… was named Ohio Valley Conference co-Golfer of the Week along with teammate Sarah Needleman for first place tie in a duel match versus Lipscomb (11/5)… Shot a career best 75 during the third round of the Jan Weaver MSU Invitational at Drake Creek, Ky. (9/9)… recorded her best 36-hole tournament to date with a 160 at the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate (10/13-14)… notched a career best 54-hole score with a 241 at the Jan Weaver MSU Invitational (9/8-9)
SOPHOMORE SEASON (2013-14)
Competed in all nine events, completing 17 rounds… Shot a career best 78 during the second round of the Charles Braun Jr. Intercollegiate in Evansville, Ind. (10/29)… notched a career best 36-hole score with a 166 at the Charles Braun Jr.
FRESHMAN SEASON (2012-13)
Competed in all ten events, completing 21 rounds... led the Tigers with four top-10 and six top-25 finishes… recorded her first top-10 finish in her first collegiate event, the Alabama State Fall Classic, claiming sixth with a two-round, 170… carded a season best 79 in her second outing of her career during the first round of the Murray State Drake Creek Invitational (9/17)… matched her season best (79) during the second round of the Ohio Valley Conference Championships at GreyStone (4/22)… shot a career best 241 in a 54-hole event at the Drake Creek Invitational (9/17-18)
Before TSU
Played golf and softball all four years of high school at Columbia Central ... advanced through the District 8-AAA tournament to the Region 4 tournament four consecutive seasons at Central High School ... qualified for the TSSAA State as a sophomore shooting an 82-83-165 at Old Fort (Murfreesboro) and again as a senior when she placed 10th behind a score of 160 (82-78) at Willowbrook Country Club ... in 2011 she was runner-up to eventual state champ of Lawrence County in the District 8-AAA tournament. She placed third in the Region 4 meet at Bear Trace Tims Ford in Winchester. ... only woman on the golf team ... selected to the all-districe team in softball her last three years ... played on the Tennessee Junior Association Tour all four summers in high school ... was the low medalist in the Tennessean Schooldays Tournament at McCabe in Nashville last June, shooting a 68. She also received the annual Joanne Ramsey award for the Outstanding Female Athlete at Central and made All-District 8-AAA in softball for three consecutive years ... second-team all state in softball as a senior ... member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes ... father played college baseball at Austin Peay and served as an assistant from 1983-84 and as head coach from 1985-87. He also served as a scout for numerous MLB teams ...
Personal
Major: HPSS
Birthday: June 22nd, 1994
Parents: Billy and Valerie Merkel
Low Round: 75 (Jan Weaver MSU Invitational, Rd. 3 – Fall, 2014)
Low 36-Hole Tournament: 160 (F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate – Fall, 2014)
Low 54-Hole Tournament: 241 (2x, last: Jan Weaver MSU Invitational – Fall, 2014)
Best Finish: 1st (TSU vs. Lipscomb Duel)
Best Tournament Finish: 6 (Alabama State Fall Classic - 2012)
JUNIOR SEASON (2014-15)
Finished the season averaging 83.8 per round, the best of her career… Competed in all 10 events, completing 21 rounds… was named Ohio Valley Conference co-Golfer of the Week along with teammate Sarah Needleman for first place tie in a duel match versus Lipscomb (11/5)… Shot a career best 75 during the third round of the Jan Weaver MSU Invitational at Drake Creek, Ky. (9/9)… recorded her best 36-hole tournament to date with a 160 at the F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate (10/13-14)… notched a career best 54-hole score with a 241 at the Jan Weaver MSU Invitational (9/8-9)
SOPHOMORE SEASON (2013-14)
Competed in all nine events, completing 17 rounds… Shot a career best 78 during the second round of the Charles Braun Jr. Intercollegiate in Evansville, Ind. (10/29)… notched a career best 36-hole score with a 166 at the Charles Braun Jr.
FRESHMAN SEASON (2012-13)
Competed in all ten events, completing 21 rounds... led the Tigers with four top-10 and six top-25 finishes… recorded her first top-10 finish in her first collegiate event, the Alabama State Fall Classic, claiming sixth with a two-round, 170… carded a season best 79 in her second outing of her career during the first round of the Murray State Drake Creek Invitational (9/17)… matched her season best (79) during the second round of the Ohio Valley Conference Championships at GreyStone (4/22)… shot a career best 241 in a 54-hole event at the Drake Creek Invitational (9/17-18)
Before TSU
Played golf and softball all four years of high school at Columbia Central ... advanced through the District 8-AAA tournament to the Region 4 tournament four consecutive seasons at Central High School ... qualified for the TSSAA State as a sophomore shooting an 82-83-165 at Old Fort (Murfreesboro) and again as a senior when she placed 10th behind a score of 160 (82-78) at Willowbrook Country Club ... in 2011 she was runner-up to eventual state champ of Lawrence County in the District 8-AAA tournament. She placed third in the Region 4 meet at Bear Trace Tims Ford in Winchester. ... only woman on the golf team ... selected to the all-districe team in softball her last three years ... played on the Tennessee Junior Association Tour all four summers in high school ... was the low medalist in the Tennessean Schooldays Tournament at McCabe in Nashville last June, shooting a 68. She also received the annual Joanne Ramsey award for the Outstanding Female Athlete at Central and made All-District 8-AAA in softball for three consecutive years ... second-team all state in softball as a senior ... member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes ... father played college baseball at Austin Peay and served as an assistant from 1983-84 and as head coach from 1985-87. He also served as a scout for numerous MLB teams ...
Personal
Major: HPSS
Birthday: June 22nd, 1994
Parents: Billy and Valerie Merkel
SENIOR - 2015-16
Date | Tournament | Strokes | Score | Finish |
9/14-15/15 | Murray State Invitational | 89-78=167 | +25 | 55th |
9/27-28/15 | Chris Banister Golf Classic | 83-86-83=252 | +36 | 60th |
10/12-13/15 | F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate | 77-88=165 | +23 | 29th |
10/26/15 | Charles Braun Jr. Intercollegiate | 83 | +11 | 25th |
10/30/15 | Lipscomb Dual (McCabe) | 76 | +4 | 5th |
3/4/16 | Lipscomb Dual (McCabe) | 77 | +5 | 3rd |
3/20-22/16 | Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate | 86-86-81=253 | +37 | 39th |
3/27-28/16 | Saluki Invitational | 87-84=171 | +27 | 63rd |
4/8-9/16 | Jan Weaver Invitational | 84-96-83=263 | +47 | 64th |
4/18-20/16 | OVC Championships (Hampton Cove) | 91-91-88=270 | +54 | 47th |
5/6-8/16 | PGA Minority Championship | 81-81-83=245 | +29 | 15th |
Rounds: 24 | 2,022 | Average: 84.3 |
JUNIOR - 2014-15
Date | Tournament | Strokes | Score | Finish |
8/31-9/1/14 | Alabama State Fall Classic | 85-80=165 | +21 | 14th |
9/8-9/14 | Jan Weaver MSU Invitational | 80-86-75=241 | +25 | 42nd |
10/13-14/14 | F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate | 84-76=160 | +16 | 30th |
10/27-28/14 | Charles Braun Jr. Intercollegiate | 91 | +19 | 73rd |
10/31/14 | Lipscomb Duel | 77 | +5 | 1st |
3/23-24/15 | Samford Intercollegiate | 87-89-91=267 | +51 | 52nd |
3/29-30/15 | Saluki Invitational | 81-83=164 | +20 | 13th |
4/3/15 | Lipscomb Duel | 78 | +6 | 4th |
4/10-11/15 | Murray State Invitational | 90-83-82=255 | +39 | 61st |
4/20-22/15 | OVC Championships (Hampton Cove) | 80-86-95=261 | +45 | 47th |
Rounds: 21 | 1,759 | Average: 83.8 |
SOPHOMORE - 2013-14
Date | Tournament | Strokes | Score | Finish |
9/9-10/13 | Murray State Drake Creek Intercollegiate | 82-93-83=258 | +42 | 52nd |
9/23-24/13 | SIUE DoubleTree Intercollegiate | 89-84=173 | +29 | 39th |
10/4/13 | Lipscomb Duel | 88 | +16 | 6th |
10/14-15/13 | F&M Bank APSU Intercollegiate | 89-81=170 | +26 | 69th |
10/28-29/13 | Charles Braun Jr. Intercollegiate | 88-78=166 | +24 | 68th |
3/2/14 | Time Warner Racer Classic | 85-84=169 | +25 | 30th |
3/17-18/14 | Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate | 90-84=174 | +32 | 58th |
3/24/14 | Big Blue Intercollegiate | 83 | +14 | 14th |
3/31-4/1/14 | WKU Lady Topper Classic | 90-86-87=263 | +47 | 43rd |
4/21-23/14 | OVC Championships (The Shoals) | 91-82-84=257 | +41 | 42nd |
Rounds: 21 | 1,801 | Average: 85.8 |
FRESHMAN - 2012-13
Date | Tournament | Strokes | Score | Finish |
9/2-3/12 | Alabama State Fall Classic | 88-82=170 | +26 | 6th |
9/17-18/12 | Murray State Drake Creek Intercollegiate | 79-80-82=241 | +25 | 31st |
9/24-25/12 | SIUE DoubleTree Intercollegiate | 84-87=171 | +27 | 21st |
2/22/13 | Lipscomb Duel | 83 | +13 | 4th |
3/4/13 | Time Warner Racer Classic | 80 | +8 | 7th |
3/18-19/13 | Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate | 90-95=185 | +43 | 66th |
4/8-9/13 | Big Blue Intercollegiate | 86-85=171 | +27 | 21st |
4/14/13 | Austin Peay Duel | 86 | +14 | 6th |
4/21-23/13 | OVC Championships (GreyStone) | 85-79-92=256 | +40 | 38th |
Rounds: 17 | 1,443 | Average: 84.9 |