The round included an eagle on the par-4 eighth hole.
“I hit it, it was drawing a little bit, and I just knew I hit a good shot,” Levi said. “I didn’t know it went in. We heard, ‘It went it! It went in!’ And my caddie and I were like, ‘Cool! High-five!’”
Round one leader Kayla Smith, who shot a 66 on Course No. 4 on the opening day. 10 holes into her second round, the UNC Tar Heel was 8-under par. However, bogeys on holes Nos. 11 and 12 and a double bogey on the par-3 15th dropped her three behind Levi.
Four players shot 68 on Course No. 4 in round two moving them up the leaderboard and away from the cutline: Kary-Hollenbaugh, Anna Morgan, Kirsten-Rudgeley, Xin Kou.
Morgan was the 2021 runner-up to Gina Kim. She knew she'd need a good score on Wednesday after shooting an opening 75.
“Last night, we were looking at the scores and trying to get a good idea,” Morgan said. “We said even par would either be the number or get into a playoff. I knew I needed to shoot 3 under or better, so yes, I guess there was a little bit of pressure. But that pressure worked because I was able to shoot a low number.”
Big Playoff
Once the second round finished, there was an 11-for-1 playoff. Melena-Barrientos and Maria Jose Marin played their way to a second playoff hole with birdies. After pars on the second playoff hole, Marin nabbed the final spot in match play when she rolled home an 18-foot birdie putt on the third playoff hole.
Just another big moment at the 18th green on Course No. 2.
“I’ve never been a part of something like that,” Marin, 15, said. “What an experience.”
Marin enjoyed a solid day on No. 4 in her opening round, shooting a 2-under 70. But she stumbled quickly on No. 2, making a triple-bogey 8 on the 5th hole and another triple bogey on the par-4 7th.
“They don’t matter right now,” Marin said, laughing. “It was a hard day.”
Marin birdies the third playoff hole (Credit: North and South)
A stacked field
The remaining field of 32 is littered with big names and former winners. 2017 winner Isabella Fierro, and 2020 winner Rachel Kuehn will be hoping to lift another Putterboy trophy.
Pinehurst native and Virginia Cavalier Amanda Sambach has some experience at Pinehurst. She caddied for David Ford in the Men's North & South in June and she is also the 2020 Girls Junior North & South champion.
Megan Schofill is hoping to continue her progress towards a North & South victory. She reached the semifinals of the North & South a year ago and the quarterfinals in 2020, a year in which she won three times, including the Florida Amateur.
Levi will have a target on her back as medalist, but she plans to keep playing her game.
“Just go play the game,” Levi said of her match play approach. “Just going out there, playing the course, sticking to the game plan. Obviously, you have to play your competitor that you’re matched against. It’s nothing crazy new – it’s still the same golf course, different pins, different conditions out there on No. 2. But we’ll take the day the same way we always have.”