Emma Schimpf takes Dixie Women's Amateur title in a playoff
Emma Schimpf (College of Charleston Athletics photo)
While two players seemingly had one hand on the trophy late in the final round of the Dixie Women's Amateur, it was a third who clutched it tightly after the dust settled at Palm Aire Country Club in Pompano Beach, Fla.
Emma Schimpf, a sophomore at the College of Charleston, defeated Duke commit
Katie Li in a playoff to win a championship that seemed was going to elude her, despite turning in a scintillating back nine en route to a final round 3-under 68.
Playing alongside Li and 54-hole leader
Kary Hollenbaugh, Schimpf got red-hot down the stretch and birdied holes 12, 14 and 16 to get to 9-under for the tournament.
Emma Schimpf (R) Hollenbaugh, a freshman at Ohio State who began the day with a two-stroke lead on the field, still had a grip on the trophy after she birdied the par 4 14th to move to 10-under, but let the title - and a spot in the eventual playoff - slip away after bogeys on 16 and 18 left her at 8-under 276.
Li also had a chance to win the title in regulation after a birdie on the par-5 16th moved her to 10-under but slipped back into a playoff with Schimpf after a bogey on the last left her at 9-under and the end of regulation.
After the players twice matched pars on Palm Aire's 18th hole, Schimpf claimed the title with a bogey to Li's double on the third go-around.
"I really enjoyed playing in this event and it was a real test of my game with my ball striking not being at 100 percent," said Schimpf. "My short game stayed strong and putting definitely held me in there, I stayed patient the whole tournament along with keeping a good attitude. It’s a great way to end the 2022 golf season."
It's Schimpf's third win since October after a first-place finish at the Evie Odom Invitational in Virginia Beach and earning co-medalist honors at the Edisto Island Invitational. She is currently ranked 37th nationally in the Golfweek/Sagarin individual rankings.
Alice Ziyi Zhao, who was the co-medalist at the U.S. Women's Amateur in August, birdied three of her last five holes for a final round 68 to gain a share of third place with Hollenbaugh at 8-under.
ABOUT THE Dixie Women's Amateur
72-hole stroke invitational women's stroke play
championship. Field consists of
former Dixie
Amateur
Champions, and women from around the world
invited by the
Tournament Committee. (You may request an
invitation at
www.dixieamateur.com).
Tournament takes on extra
importance as one of the last major
international
amateur
events to be played
before the Augusta National Women's Amateur
(ANWA) determines their
ranking-based exemption list. The field limit will
be
108
players. Field
is cut after 54 holes to
the low 66 players and ties.
View Complete Tournament Information