Sorlie Wins Women's Title, Stuart Takes Men's Title at Malta Invitational

Malta's golf teams fared well in their home meet, the 2024 Malta Invitational. The M-ettes earned a first place finish as a team in the women's meet and the Mustangs were second in the men's meet and both teams produced the individual winner.

Junior Brittney Sorlie won the women's individual title with 102 strokes followed by teammate Kylie Bishop who was second with 105 strokes and Regan Stuart made history as he became the first eighth grader to win the men's title at the Malta Invitational with 79 strokes.

Junior Kellen Murray won the men's junior varsity title with a score of 79.

The PCN caught up with the Sorlie, Bishop, Stuart and Murray after the event.

Sorlie said that going long with her second shots helped her succeed.

"I could've done a little better with my putting but it worked out in the end," Sorlie said. "I kept my head up and that is what saved me."

Sorlie and Bishop golfed alongside Glasgow's Simpson and Allie Palm. Sorelie golfed with them at the Ryder Cup a couple of weeks ago.

"It's actually pretty good," Sorlie said. "We get along with those girls pretty well. They are a couple of the better Glasgow people, I will say that. They are good people to golf with"

"They make it enjoyable," Bishop added.

Bishop was asked about her success that day.

"I just kept my head in the game and I had Brittney by me, so that helped," Bishop said. "I just went one stroke at a time and finished well. It was a long day but it went by really fast with the people I was with."

Both Sorlie and Bishop said that their best hole was hole seven that day.

Glasgow's Laynee Simpson was third in the women's meet with 107 strokes followed by Malta's Emree Stuart who was fourth with 108 strokes. M-ette Amelia Johanessen was ninth with 140 strokes and Whitewater's Sommer Green was tenth with 142 strokes.

Stuart was asked about his day.

"It feels good to be the first eighth grader to win," Stuart said. "I was hitting the ball better than yesterday (in Glasgow) and I was more focused."

Stuart said that his best hole was hole 2. It was one of five holes that he birdied.

"I hit a drive in the middle of the Fairview and then found the green," Stuart said, noting that he used his three wood for the second hit. "Then I two-putted for a birdie."

He was asked about the move up to high school sports, which he also did in basketball.

"It's been fun playing against older kids," Stuart said.

Murray was asked about his day which was the best Malta invitational outing in his career.

"It was pretty good," Murray said. "I shot one over my front nine and six over my back nine. It was pretty decent but a couple of holes got to me, but I bounced back and got it done."

Murray was asked which hole was his best for the day.

"Probably hole eight because I hit a bad tee shot and recovered pretty well," Murray said.

Malta's Thatcher Marquis was eighth in the men's meet with 95 strokes, Kruise Stiles was tenth with 98 strokes, Hunter Stolem was nineteenth with 109 strokes and Michael Love was twenty-first with 111 strokes.

In the JV men's meet Knowles was second with 103 strokes, Charles Brettin was fourth with 117 strokes, Brayden Rhoads was sixth with 125 strokes, and Jonah Bucks was eighth with 138 strokes.