Podlesny wins Wyoming Women's Amateur
CASPER, WY. (July 31) –Emily Podlesny of Green River fired steady rounds of 73-76-78 for a two stroke victory on the 5,502 par 74 Casper Country Club layout.
There were five competitors tied for second with totals of 229 as nearly every player in contention entering the final round was in the mix for the title at the end of the round on Sunday.
Podlesny’s title is the second for her family, as her sister Kelsey captured the 2009 Women’s Amateur Title at Paradise Valley Country Club.
She began the tournament with a 1 under par round of 73, grabbing a share of the lead with Jessi Waring. She continued her solid play in round two, building a two stroke lead over defending champ Miranda Bandemer of Laramie, heading into the final round. She was able to hold off back nine charges from five different competitors on her way to a 78 in the final round.
Podlesny will be heading to Portland State to play golf this fall as she begins her college career.
The five way tie for second place included Bandemer, Waring, Emily Woodard, Brandi Holmes, and Afton Balling. Balling shot the low round of the tournament with a 2 under par 72 in the final round. That included a stretch of five consecutive birdies on the back nine to get her into contention.
Bandemer played in the final group on both Saturday and Sunday as she shot rounds of 75-76-78.
Waring, the 2008 champion, was the only other golfer to break par in the first round as she was tied with Podlesny.
Woodard’s low round of the tournament was an even par 74 in the first round. She will head to Laramie to begin her freshman campaign on the golf team for the University of Wyoming.
Brandi Holmes of Cody shot the low round on day two as she fired a 1 under par round of 73. Seventeen year old Haley Shackelford, of Gillette, carded six birdies in the final round on her way to a 1 under 73.
In the first flight, Layne Sheridan got hot over the weekend as she shot 83 on Saturday and 80 on Sunday to win by 12 strokes.
Donna Cleveland whose low round was an 87, and Brenda Austin, who shot 83 on Saturday, tied for second.
Local Karen Hayden, this year’s recipient of the Peggy Buss Sportswoman Award, ran away with the title in the second flight behind rounds of 87-90-90. She was sixteen strokes clear of Karen Hinchey and Carol Butler in second place.
The third and final flight had another runaway champion, as Bonnie Peden played consistent golf throughout the championship to earn a 20 stroke victory. Kerry “Stretch” Blount grabbed second place.