Anci Dy, the younger Traverse City sister by almost two years, had to go 21 holes to finally beat Anika Dy, her older sister, in the final match of the 106th Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship presented by Carl’s Golfland at Great Oaks Country Club Friday.
Then she shed a few tears of joy and hugs in the emotional minutes following the first Women’s Amateur to ever come down to final match between sisters.
“I think she’s really proud of me,” said Anci, 19 and a University of Indianapolis golfer of her big sister, who's actually smaller in stature.
“I think she was able to see where I’ve come from with my game from a few years ago to now. I feel like, actually I know she is going to try extra hard to get me the next time, but for today, she’s really proud of me.”
Anika, who has won the Michigan Women’s Open as an amateur, been named Miss Michigan Golf during her dominant high school career, plays golf for the University of Michigan, and set the bar high for family achievement in golf, said she was very proud.
Anci Dy “I’m disappointed with how the golf turned out, obviously, but if I had to lose to anyone, I’m glad it was my sister,” said Anika, who will be 21 in July and a senior at Michigan in the fall.
“I think it’s awesome what she has done with her game in the last year. She really blossomed as a player in her first year of college golf. I think going in she knew she had untapped potential, and I think she is tapping into it.”
The sister showdown was set up in the semifinals when Anika turned back Western Michigan University-bound Megha Vallabhaneni of Northville 3 and 2 in the morning, and Anci outlasted Anika’s Michigan teammate and last year’s runner-up, Mikaela Schulz of West Bloomfield, in 20 holes.
Anci closed out Schulz on the second extra hole, No. 2, with a clutch par putt, and then did the same against her sister on the 21st hole, No. 3, in the final match.
It was two very different matches. Anci was 4-down to Schulz after six holes in the semifinal but rallied to tie her by hole 13. She won the first three holes on the back nine for a 3-up lead through 12 holes against her sister in the final, but Anika rallied and won the 18th hole with a par to force extra holes.
“Putting, putting, putting, it’s what we work on a lot together, and she really made a lot of big putts today,” Anika said.
“She already hits it a lot farther than me, but I always had the short game, that was my edge. Now she’s getting the short game and putting like that. She played amazing, she really did. I feel great that I was 2-down and able to come back and force the match to extra holes, but she just made so many big putts.”
The two sisters had met in match play previously in the 2017 Michigan Women’s Amateur at Saginaw Country Club. Anika won that quarterfinal match.
The daughters of Tess and Solomon Dy, who also have a nine-year-old brother Axl, are students of teaching professional Scott Wilson of Bay Meadows Family Golf Course in Traverse City. Anci thanked Wilson and cited her college coach, University of Indianapolis head coach Brent Nicoson, for helping her become a better competitor during her freshman season.
“He sharpened what Scott Wilson gave me and helped me in the player on the course aspect,” she said. “It’s been a long time since I felt really good about my game in the summer. This is one of those tournaments on the bucket list, so it’s really cool to start off my summer this way. Then to play Anika in the final match and get her in the end. It makes it all seem even better.”
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ABOUT THE Michigan Women's Amateur
The Michigan Women's State Amateur is Michigan's
most prestigious women's amateur championship,
having been played over 100 times. The format is
36-
hole stroke play (Gross only), from which the low 32
advance to match play. Open to women amateurs
with
handicaps under 15.4. Must be a GAM member.
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