Maisie Filler (Left) and Tara Connelly (Coral Ridge Photo)
University of Florida senior Maisie Filler from Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., defeated Scarlett Schremmer, the No. 1 ranked junior in Alabama, by a margin of 4 & 3 to claim the 91st Jones/Doherty Women’s Amateur at Coral Ridge Country Club in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
The 22-year-old Filler intends to graduate in May and subsequently participate in the LPGA Q-School in August to become a professional.
Previously, Filler competed in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur in 2023 and has multiple LPGA starts to her name, the most recent being the Shoprite LPGA Classic in June. This wealth of experience added depth to her participation in the finale.
In the final match play round, the No.1 seed Schremmer began strongly, securing a 1-up lead on the first hole. The players exchanged holes, with Filler going 2-up after six holes, before Schremmer fought back to claim a 1-up lead. This occurred when the 17-year-old from Birmingham, AL, drained a 25-footer on the ninth hole, marking her last lead of the match.
Filler gained total control of the situation on the back nine, preventing Schremmer from getting back into contention.
In the qualifying round, Schremmer secured the top seed by shooting a 69, while Filler, with a score of 73, claimed the second seed entering the match play section.
Before her final match against Schremmer, Filler narrowly defeated Anna Ritter from New Albany, OH, in the semifinals and eliminated the defending champion, Morgan Miller from Cedar Park, TX, with a score of 4 & 3 in the quarterfinals.
Filler now joins the legendary list of past winners, including Patty Berg, JoAnne Carner, Babe Zaharias, and Marlene Stewart Streit, as well as professionals such as Natalie Gulbis, Michelle McGann, Vicki Goetze, Charley Hull, and Lexi Thompson.
In the senior division, Tara Connelly from Marion, MA, secured victory over Shelly Haywood of Laguna Woods, CA, the defending champion for the title.
In other matches: Adrienne MacLean of Tequesta, Fla., triumphed in the First Flight with a 3 & 2 win over LinLin Culver of Palm Coast, FL), while Shirley Vaughn of Pinehurst, N.C., clinched the Second Flight with a 1-up (20) victory over Suzanne Ricard of Parkland, Fla.
The matchplay event pays tribute to the late Helen Doherty and Ione D. Jones, wife of CRCC golf architect Robert Trent Jones, who was a significant contributor to junior and women's golf in south Florida for many years.
View results for Jones/Doherty Women's Amateur
ABOUT THE Jones/Doherty Women's Amateur
The third event on the "Orange Blossom" circuit of
ladies events in Florida, with an illustrious list of past
champions
including Patty Berg, JoAnne Carner, Babe Zaharias
and
Marlene Stewart Streit, Natalie Gulbis, Michelle
McGann, Vicki
Goetze, Charley Hull and Lexi Thompson.
Tournament
consists of two divisions (Women's and Senior
Women's) playing an 18-hole qualifying for
match play flights in each division as follows:
Championship Flight of 16, First Flight of 16, Second
Flight
of 8.
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