Bailey Shoemaker (Courtesy of Florida Golf Association)
After 130 holes of golf, it was
Bailey Shoemaker who raised the Florida Women’s Amateur trophy at the end of the day, defeating
Maisie Filler, 3 and 2, on Sunday at Streamsong Golf Resort in Bowling Green.
"This win is just so incredible," Shoemaker said. "It’s one of the oldest state championships and there are so many iconic winners and people that have gone on to do great things as professionals and great things for the game. I am just so honored to be added to that list."
Shoemaker becomes the first junior golfer to win the Women’s Amateur championship in the championship’s 93-year history. This is the second FSGA championship victory for USC-bound Shoemaker, who won the Women’s Four-Ball Championship with Madison Hewlett in 2020.
The morning saw Shoemaker earn a commanding win over Casey Weidenfeld, 5 and 4, while Filler defeated Yoko Tai, 2 and 1, to advance to the Finals.
In the Final match between Shoemaker and Filler, Shoemaker took a quick 1-up lead on the second hole with a short par putt. She extended her lead to 2 up, rolling in an 8-foot putt for a birdie on the fourth.
“The best part of my game this week was throwing shots in kind of close,” Shoemaker said. “I’ve been working on that a lot the last couple of months. So to see it bleed into my game here was pretty great. I also made a lot of putts to put some pressure on my opponents.”
Maisie Filler (L) and Bailey Shoemaker On the par-3 fifth hole, Filler just missed her par putt to give Shoemaker a 3-up lead heading to the seventh. Filler’s drive was just short of the green, she chipped it to two feet and made the putt for birdie to win the hole.
Filler and Shoemaker halved the seventh and eighth, heading to the ninth with Shoemaker 2 up. Filler birdied the par-5 ninth hole to cut Shoemaker’s lead to 1 up as they made the turn to the backside.
Shoemaker, a Dade City resident, extended her lead to 2 up again with a par on the 11th. An incoming junior at the University of Florida, Filler birdied the 13th to cut the lead back to 1 up. On the par-4 14th hole, Shoemaker’s second shot was short-left of the green. The Florida Junior Tour winner chipped it to 2 feet and made the putt to extend the lead to 2 up.
“I continuously birdied the 14th hole this week,” Shoemaker said. “I think that putt some pressure on Maisie and really closed it out.”
Shoemaker rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt to take an 3-up lead with three to play. She secured the championship with a par on the 16th hole, taking home a 3-and-2 victory against Filler.
Shoemaker is in the midst of a standout summer. The two-time FSGA championship made the cut at her first U.S. Women’s Open Championship earlier this month, finishing inside the top 50.
View results for Florida Women's Amateur
ABOUT THE Florida Women's Amateur
Championship Format
- 156 total players
- 36 holes of individual stroke play qualifying
- Field will be cut to the low 32 players for the
Championship match play field
- Gross only, no handicaps and no consolation
flights
Eligibility
- Female amateur golfer
- Florida residency required
- A valid USGA Handicap Index not exceeding
18.4
- Entrant is not required to be a member of the FSGA
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