Willen, Lady Purples win Greenwood Invitational
Published 3:32 pm Tuesday, August 4, 2026
After a rough week where she admitted she had to battle through it mentally, Cumberland County senior golfer Kenzie Willen turned to her swing coach Corey Stith to get back in the swing of things.
The Sunday session proved fruitful, with Willen earning the win with a 1-under par 71 at Monday’s Greenwood Lady Gator Invitational at Bowling Green Country Club.
It was Willen’s second win this season at BG Country Club, which hosts the state tournament in October.
“He learned a little bit of hypnosis last night, trying to help me with my mindset and stuff,” Willen said. “I think it really helped me a lot. I really like this course. It’s beautiful, as always. They really made it tough with the greens … but I was thankful how I played and pretty happy with how I finished here.”
Willen had a steady day on the course with three birdies, two bogeys and 16 pars. She shot even on the front 9 and finished 1-under on the back nine — a birdie on 18 to close her day.
“Boring golf ain’t always bad,” Willen said. “I feel like I play a lot of boring golf and I am thankful for that. I was really confident with the driver today.”
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Barren County’s Chloe Witcher finished second with an even-par 72. Witcher overcame double bogeys on the first and 10th holes with four birdies — including three in the final seven holes.
“I feel good now,” Witcher said. “Four birdies on the day. It’s not easy to do that out here, so I am fine with even.
“I usually either start bad and finish great or start OK and finish OK. It’s golf. Sometimes I can shoot 80 on a course and sometimes I can shoot even par. It’s literally one of the hardest games for a reason. It’s insane.”
Witcher said her putter was a big reason for her success — making a 40-footer for birdie on 14 and tapping in for birdie on her last hole.
“I feel like I putted well today,” Witcher said. “If I can do that in October — postseason — I’ll do great.”
In the team standings, Bowling Green edged Sacred Heart by one win shot to win the team title with a score of 327. Mary Douglas Childers led the way for Bowling Green, finishing sixth overall with a 4-over 76. Ellie Morgan was seventh with a 5-over 77.
On the boys’ side, Glasgow’s Griffin Jackson made a late charge — finishing second after carding a 4-under 68 — one shot behind winner Bryce Vernon from Taylor County. Jackson tied for second with Pulaski County’s Luke Ousley, but won a scoreboard tiebreaker.
“I was glad to just come out here and shoot under par,” Jackson said. “It’s not an easy course. I hit a lot of fairways. I hit my irons really well too. Every time I missed a green I got up and down really well, so that helped a lot.”
Jackson closed his day with a birdie on 16 and hit an eagle putt on 18 — finishing 3-under in the final three holes.
“I ran a putt in that I didn’t think was going to go in, but I am glad it fell,” Jackson said. “It builds a lot of confidence.”
Jackson said the round gives him a lot of confidence going forward.
“I think this helps me know what I can do,” Jackson said. “I know if I can shoot that here, then I can go anywhere and shoot that.”
Thomas Newton from Bethlehem finished fourth, while Luke Ebel from Lexington Christian Academy finished fifth.
Bowling Green’s Rowdy Harris carded a 1-under 71 to finish sixth.
“I feel like 71 was pretty good for me,” Harris said. “This course is really one of the longer ones overall, especially if you get in this rough. It can be quite brutal. Overall I am pretty happy with being 1-under par.”
Harris closed strong with a 3-under on back nine, including a birdie on the 18th hole.
“Honestly, I just hit it a lot closer,” Harris said. “Every single birdie I had was inside of five feet. Honestly I think this will keep propelling me forward.”
South Warren’s Carson Smith tied for eighth with a 1-over 73.
Bethlehem won the team title, edging Taylor County in a tiebreaker.
About Micheal Compton
I am a sports reporter and movie critic for the Bowling Green Daily News.
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