Women's Western medalist Anacona rolls through first match

July 18, 2019 | by

Ela Belen Anacona (WWGA photo)

Medalist Ela Belen Anacona, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, defeated Marissa Kirkwood on the 14th hole.

Medalist Ela Belen Anacona, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, coasted to victory Thursday in her opening match to move into Friday’s Round of 16 match play in the 119th Women’s Western Amateur at Royal Melbourne Country Club.

Anacona, 18, defeated Marissa Kirkwood of New Castle, Pennsylvania, a senior at Kent State, on the 14th hole, posting a 5 and 4 victory. Earlier this summer, Kirkwood won the inaugural Donna Andrews Invitational.

Anacona said she benefited from having her close friend, Valentina Rossi, of Rosario, Argentina, caddie for her in the afternoon match. Rossi, 18, missed the 36-hole cut for match play by a stroke earlier Thursday.

“She helps me a lot,” said Anacona, who never trailed in her match. “She knows me really well because we play in tournaments together.”

An incoming freshman at the University of Arkansas, Anacona won the third hole to take an early lead, then holed a pair of 18-foot birdie putts – on Nos. 9 and 12 – to build a 5-up lead with just six holes to play. Each of the putts prompted a high-five from Rossi. The pair hope to keep their positive thoughts flowing Friday.

“I just try to be positive,” Anacona said. “Of course you have moments that you can’t, but I just keep trying.”

In the first match to end in the lower bracket, Tristyn Nowlin of Richmond, Kentucky, defeated Julia Potter-Bobb of Indianapolis, Indiana, 7 and 6.

Nowlin was the finalist and runner-up at last year’s Women’s Western Amateur. Potter-Bobb, 31, has played in Women’s Western events since 2002. Nowlin said the afternoon’s gusty winds didn’t affect her play.

“I have a lot of confidence in windy conditions,” said Nowlin, a senior at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “My caddie and I did a good job talking through my shots.”

Nowlin had nothing but good things to say about Potter-Bobb after the two played together all week.

“Julia played good. She was hitting her driver really well,” said Nowlin, 20. “She’s a great player with an awesome attitude. We had a great time this week.”

Nowlin is looking forward to the rest of match play, taking it one hole at a time.

“I love match play,” she said. “I get momentum when I see my putts drop. I get fearless and in the zone.”

Three matches were still in progress when play ended Thursday are set to resume at 6:30 a.m. Friday. Winners of the opening 16 matches will square off Friday morning for a chance to advance to Friday afternoon’s quarterfinals.

Results: Women's Western Amateur

Place	Player	Location	Pts
Win	Sarah Shipley	Hastings, MI	700
Runner-up	Antonia Matte	, Chile	500
Semifinals	Maria Bohorquez	, Colombia	400
Semifinals	Brooke Tyree	Sulphur, LA	400
Quarterfinals	Caroline Wrigley	Wexford, PA	300

View full results for Women's Western Amateur

About the Women's Western Amateur

Women's Western medalist Anacona rolls through first match

Held without interruption since its inception in 1901, the Women's Western Amateur is one of the longest-running annual championships in women's amateur golf. Each year, it draws many of the top amateur and collegiate players from around the world. T...