Hawkins holds on for Women's Eastern Amateur title

Emily Hawkins started the day with the Women’s Eastern Amateur lead, and she still had it by the end. The soon-to-be-sophomore at Campbell University had a closing 3-under 69 at Tanglewood Park’s Championship Course in Clemmons, N.C.

Her 6-under 210 total on the par-72 layout left her with a three-shot victory over Mercer’s Payton Schanen.

Schanen, a former Georgia Women’s Amateur champion, made a strong run at the leader. She finished with the low score of the final round, a 4-under 68. Schanen’s even-par 216 total for the week matched Sarah-Eve Rheaume’s effort. The Furman played had a final-round 71.

Lauren Greenlief, the 2015 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, was fourth at 219.

ROUND TWO RECAP

As a junior golfer, Emily Hawkins left her mark in tournament golf at the Big I National Championship. She joined Tiger Woods and Christie Kerr as the only two-time winners of the event when she defended her title in 2018. Now, Hawkins is in position for another major amateur title.

Hawkins will be a sophomore at Campbell in the fall. Competing against fellow collegians and mid-amateurs at the Women’s Eastern Amateur, Hawkins is setting the pace. The Lexington, Ky., native opened the tournament with a 73 at Tanglewood Golf Park in Clemmons, N.C., but came back with a 68 on Wednesday.

It was good enough to give her a three-shot cushion at the top of the leaderboard.

Behind Hawkins, three women are tied at 144. First-round leader Ximena Gonzalez Garcia backed up an opening 68 with 74 for her 144 total. Lauren Greenlief, the 2015 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, and Ahra Ko are also on that number.

Sarah-Eve Rheaume, who plays for Furman, is solo fifth with her 145 total.

FIRST-ROUND RECAP

An Arkansas freshman found her way into the starting lineup for the Razorbacks as they hosted the NCAA Women’s Championship last month – and played their way to the match-play quarterfinals. That player, Ximena Gonzalez, is now charting her own off-season success. Gonzalez opened the Women’s Eastern Amateur with a 4-under 70 at Tanglewood Park’s Championship Course in Clemmons, N.C.

After her opening round, Garcia, of Queretaro, Mexico, leads by one shot. Linda Wang and Sarah-Eve Rheaume are behind her with rounds of 71. Wang is a junior on the St. John’s roster while Rheaume plays for Furman.

A group of four players are two shots back at 73, including Mercer’s Payton Schanen, a former Georgia State Women’s Amateur champion.

Lauren Greenlief, the 2015 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion, had 74. Greenlief, who is taking a break from her job as a management consultant to pursue golf, also played the Women’s Southern Amateur last week.