Franklin to join Griz golf team

The Montana women's golf team has signed Kylie Franklin, of Chandler, Ariz., to a National Letter of Intent, coach Kris Nord announced this week.

Franklin, a senior at Hamilton High, will join the Grizzlies as a freshman next fall.

"She is a good fit for our program in many ways," said Nord, who noted that Franklin had a scoring average in the upper 70s when they began communicating a year ago.

A few weeks ago, Franklin won the Girls 15-18 division at the Junior Golf Association of Arizona Fall Classic with rounds of 72 and 73.

"After I watched her video and looked at her swing, I loved it. She is playing really good golf and is getting better each month. I'm excited to lock her in and fill a spot for next year."

Like a number of future Grizzlies across all sports who have signed NLIs this month, Franklin committed without the benefit of a visit to campus. In fact, she's never been to the state of Montana.

Still, she found what she was looking for in Nord's program.

"They just had everything," said Franklin, who intends to study business administration. "They had my major and they had a good team.

"When I had my first phone call with (Nord), he said the team is really close with each other. I was excited to hear that. I'm looking forward to having a good relationship with my team."

Franklin got her indoctrination to the sport a decade ago, when her dad picked up the sport. One day he brought his daughter to the course.

"Since then I've been practicing. He's the one who got me started," Franklin said. "I started when I was 8 or 9 and started playing competitively when I was 14."

At last month's Arizona Interscholastic Association Division I state tournament, Franklin finished 22nd as Hamilton High placed third for the third consecutive year.

She followed that up with her title at the JGAA Fall Classic at Las Colinas Golf Club in Queen Creek.

"That's one of my favorite courses and it was such a nice day. The conditions were really good," Franklin said. "I played really, really well both days.

"I was getting on in regulation and didn't have too many problems. That was probably one of the best tournaments I've played, just because I was focused throughout the entire 18 holes."

Franklin becomes Nord's first recruit from Arizona.

"I did not hide the fact that we pick up balls in the snow and it gets cold at times," he said. "I think she is looking forward to a little change for her collegiate career."

Montana, which did not compete in any fall tournaments, opens its spring schedule March 11-12 at the Lady Thunderbird Invitational in St. George, Utah.

University of Montana Athletics

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