Women’s Western Am: Brigitte Thibault wins one for Canada
Brigitte Thibault (Fresno State)
Back-to-back days with back-to-back international winners in women’s amateur golf.
On Friday, Mexico City’s Sara Camarena took home the California Women’s Amateur. Saturday saw our friends North of the border claim a title of their own.
Brigitte Thibault, a Rosemere, Quebec native and Fresno State senior, defeated UC Davis’ Jackie Lucena 4&3 to claim the Western Women’s Amateur Championship.
Thibault and Lucena exchanged blows early with Thibault gaining no more than a 1 up advantage through the first six holes. After a win on No. 7, Thibault lost holes 8 and 9 to Lucena making the match all square.
“I didn’t want to get my hopes up, because I know my game right now is kind of on a roller coaster,” Thibault told the Women’s Western Golf Association. “I feel like I gained a lot of momentum from yesterday. I just kept the faith. I kept fighting and didn’t give up”
Making the turn, Thibault got back in the saddle to regain the lead. Keeping the pace, Thibault won holes 13, 14, and 15 to get the 4&3 victory.
“I think it was just like a switch,” Thibault said when talking about her front nine struggles. “I had missed a lot on the front, and I could feel how close I was to hitting it really good.”
Thibault joins Maddie Szeryk (2017) as the only Canadians to win the championship in its 120-year history. With the win, Thibault earned an exemption into the U.S. Women's Amateur in December.
ABOUT THE Women's Western Amateur
The The Western Golf Association (WGA) has
partnered with the Women’s Western Golf
Association to administer the
Women’s Western Amateur. Held without interruption
since 1901, this event is one of the
oldest annual championships in women’s amateur
golf. The list of past champions includes
current stars and legends of the LPGA TOUR,
including Ariya Jutanugarn (2012), Stacy Lewis
(2006), Brittany Lang (2003), Grace Park (1998),
Cristie Kerr (1995) and Nancy Lopez (1976).
The Women's Western Amateur is open to amateur
women who have an up-to-date 18-hole
handicap index
that does not exceed 5.4 under the World Handicap
System. The WWGA Committee limits the
field to a
maximum of 120 contestants.
The championship begins with 36 holes of stroke-
play qualifying, after which the field is cut to
the low 32
players for match play. In the event of a tie for the
32nd position, a sudden-elimination playoff
will determine
the final match play qualifiers. Five rounds of 18-hole
matches will decide the Women's
Western Amateur
champion.
View Complete Tournament Information