Caitlin’s Conqueror Crowned Princess of Bel-Air

Los Angeles, United States: Megan Schofill is a creature of habit. This week at Bel-Air Country Club, she made winning look routine.

The Auburn University graduate student won the US Women’s Amateur, delivering a 4&3 victory over long-time friend and Southeastern Conference rival Latanna Stone.

In her championship run, Schofill played 114 holes in match play, winning 38 and losing 19. The only time she was extended beyond regulation time was in the Round of 16 when she edged past Australian Caitlin Peirce at the 19th hole.

On Sunday, Schofill closed out the final with a dart on the par-four 33rd hole, a six-iron from 165 yards to eight feet which set up a winning par when Stone lipped out her five-footer to stay alive.

Schofill said: “It’s definitely a dream come true. I’m still in shock. I can’t put it into words the emotions I’m feeling. It’s just such an honour to be able to say I won here this year.”

Schofill played the equivalent of five-under-par with the usual match play concessions, making eight birdies, none bigger than the back-to-back par-breakers at the end of the morning 18 that gave her a three-up lead and swung the match in her favour for good.

After a Stone three-putt on the 15th gave Schofill a one-up advantage, the 22-year-old seized control of the match in a matter of 15 minutes. First, it was a 55-foot birdie putt from the back of the green at the par-three 16th, then a nine-iron approach on the par-four 17th to within a foot for a conceded birdie and a three-up advantage that she would take into the lunch break.

“I felt like that was huge going into the second 18,” said Schofill, who is currently 21st in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. “I felt like the momentum was on my side because I won 15, 16, 17. A lot can happen in 18 holes, so I was able to just keep it together.”

Stone immediately applied pressure in the afternoon with a winning birdie on the par-five 19th, but she could not get any closer the rest of the match. The putts that fell for her earlier in the week were burning edges on Sunday. She had three three-putts and several other birdie misses from inside 10 feet.

“I feel like we both played really good golf out there,” said 21-year-old Stone, who is entering her fifth year at LSU this fall. “Even though it didn’t turn out the way that I wanted it to, I’m so happy and so grateful to be here, to get this opportunity and this experience.”

Stone, a graduate student at Louisiana State University, was also dealing with a nagging right calf strain that hampered both her walking and her ability to get through the ball all day. She moved gingerly through the entire match and was constantly playing from 25 to 30 yards behind Schofill.

Still, as she had shown all week, Stone hung tough and maintained a positive disposition while competing against her fellow Floridian and friend since eighth grade. The two often walked down the fairway together and shared smiles and laughs, enjoying the experience of competing for a national championship.

In the morning 18, the players tied the first four holes before Stone drew first blood with a 25-foot birdie putt on the par-three fifth. Schofill swung the match in her favour with a wedge to four feet at the seventh and a conceded birdie at the par-five eighth.

Stone drew even with a six-foot birdie putt on the par-four 12th and maintained the tie with a clutch 20-foot par putt on the par-three 13th after finding the bunker with her tee shot.

In the afternoon, Stone birdied the par-four 24th to pull back within two-down to give her a glimmer of hope. But Schofill slammed the door with back-to-back birdies on the par-four 25th and par-five 26th to extend her lead to four-up.