Caldwell County’s Emma Talley picked up where she left off 11 months ago, breezing to a six-shot win Saturday at the Girls’ Bowling Green Invitational at Bowling Green Country Club.

Talley, who won the state title at BGCC last October, fired a sizzling 6-under 66 – six shots better than Central Hardin’s Lydia Gumm.

“I give all the glory to God because I was nervous coming out here today,” Talley said. “I just kept playing my game, playing shot by shot, not worrying about what my score was at the time.”

Talley’s day got off to a rocky start, when her ball moved while she was lining up for a potential birdie putt.

“I don’t know if I hit it or what happened, but it was a stroke and I ended up getting par,” Talley said. “Thank goodness I made the putt.”

The sophomore golfer showed no signs of any first-hole jitters, finishing the day with seven birdies and a bogey.

With just more than a month to go before the Leachman Buick, Pontiac and GMC/KHSAA State Golf Championships returns to BGCC, Talley said Saturday’s win gives her a lot of confidence.

“I’m really happy with today, coming out here after state,” Talley said. “I even thought it was a fluke. Hopefully, today wasn’t a fluke (too). Hopefully this is how I’m playing right now and that’s how I’ll play at state.”

Gumm finished the day with an even-par 72 to finish second to Talley once again. The North Hardin freshman finished second in last year’s state tournament – nine shots behind Talley.

“I was kind of on and off,” Gumm said. “I started off pretty good. I got to 2-under, then I made four straight bogeys. I should have gone lower than what I did. I didn’t hit the ball well and left a lot of putts out there, but Emma played really well. She had a great day again.”

Assumption’s Sammy Smith shot a 76 to finish third, while Whitley County’s Courtney Bishop, Mercy’s Chau Tran and West Jessamine’s Emily Haas all shot 5-over 77.

In the team competition, Sacred Heart edged Shelby County by three strokes with a 349. Pulaski County finished third with a 348, while Henry Clay and Russell County tied with a score of 351.

Greenwood finished tied for seventh with Franklin-Simpson after shooting a 362.

Leslie Van Every paced the Lady Gators with an 86. Jackie Van Meter shot 91, Mallory Vaughn fired a 92, Morgan Elliot carded a 93 and Lauren Slaughter finished with a 96.

While the field didn’t include region favorite Glasgow, which played in the All ‘A’ State Tournament instead, Greenwood coach Chris Gage said Saturday’s performance is a good measuring stick for his team heading into the final month of the season.

“It was a good showing for us – compared to other teams in our region,” Gage said. “Yes, Glasgow’s not here, but we tied Franklin-Simpson and that’s a very good program that Franklin-Simpson has. We’re a very young program. Our top three are freshmen, so we are very happy with how that bodes for us when we get to region.”

Host Bowling Green finished 15th, shooting a 385. Madeline Rogers led the way with an 87, while Kristen Taulbee added an 89 for the Lady Purples.