Team Canada's Katie Cranston triumphs in Women's Porter Cup

June 10, 2022 | by Sean Melia of AmateurGolf.com

Katie Cranston (credit: Porter Cup)

Cranston birdies final two holes then prevails in a four-hole playoff at Niagara Country Club

The women's Porter Cup was not short on drama at Niagara Country Club.

Katie Cranston and Brooke Rivers combined to make 6 pars on the back nine. Rivers held a two shot advantage with two holes remaining, but Cranston managed to force the playoff with birdies on the 17th and 18th holes. It proved to be pivotal, as she parred the fourth playoff hole for the victory.

Cranston understood it was going to be a tough day, with a deep field of competitors in the hunt. "I just wanted another solid round and to finish strong. I knew that it was anyone's game, there were probably about 8 girls who could have got it done today, so I just focused on myself, Cranston said. "I knew I would have to stay patient and not get ahead of myself." The day started with Rivers leading Cranston by one shot and they both played some incredible golf on the front nine. Cranston birdied the first three holes and Rivers fired back with an eagle on the par 5 third hole. Rivers tallied birdies on 8 and 12 to reach five-under par for her round and nine-under for the tournament.

Cranston birdied the 10th and 11th holes to keep pace with the scorching hot Rivers. However the last seven holes proved that golf under pressure can indeed become very difficult. Cranston made double bogeys on the 13th and 16th holes, but Rivers made a costly triple bogey on the 14th hole and then a double bogey on the 16th hole, too.

"I really just tried to finish strong for myself, I thought even if I don’t win I still want to have a strong showing and secure runner up," Cranston said. "In the back of my mind I knew that anything was still possible because that’s just how golf is sometimes. I just tried to stay calm and take it one shot at a time." Standing on the par 5 17th tee with both players coming off a tough stretch of golf, Rivers held a two shot lead. After both players made birdies on 17, the par 3 18th was waiting. A par would have secured the victory for Rivers.

Cranston stuffed her tee shot to five feet and tallied one more birdie on her day to force a playoff after Rivers made a bogey.

It took four playoff holes to finally decide the winner. After pars were so hard to come by on the back nine, it was the score that Cranston needed to win the 2022 Women's Porter Cup.

Results: Women's Porter Cup

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
1	Katie Cranston	, Canada	500	73-67-71=211
2	Brooke Rivers	, Canada	400	69-70-72=211
T3	Megan Propeck	Leawood, KS	300	74-69-70=213
T3	Vanessa Borovilos	, Canada	300	71-71-71=213
5	Nicole Gal	, Canada	300	71-71-72=214

View full results for Women's Porter Cup

About the Women's Porter Cup

Team Canada's Katie Cranston triumphs in Women's Porter Cup

The Porter Cup, one of the premier amateur events in the nation, now has a "sister" event - The Women's Porter Cup. Starting in 2023, the men's and women's Porter Cup championships are run concurrently with 54 players in each field and alternating te...