Hirai Captures the Women's Eastern Amateur

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC (June 14, 2018) - Reona Hirai (Summerville, SC) won the Women's Eastern Amateur Championship by four shots at Palmetto Hall Plantation. Hirai, who just completed her college career at Furman University, took a four-shot lead into the final round on the strength of the round of the tournament, a 5-under 67, in round two. In the final round, she gave her chasers little chance to catch her, closing with a 1-under 71 for a 54-hole total of 213 (-3). Courtney McKim, a mid-amateur from Raleigh, NC, finished second at 1-over 217 after matching Harai with a 71. Related: Courtney McKim: Mastering the Mid-Amateur Learning Curve In fact, each of the top four finishers had matching rounds of 71. Maggie Ashmore (Kingston, GA), a rising senior at Augusta University, finished third at 219. Magdalena Simmermacher, an Argentina native who finished her college golf career at Old Dominion University, made 7 birdies in her round of 71 that propelled her to a fourth place finish at 220. The Women's Eastern Golf Association (WEGA) also awarded prizes to: 5th place: Sophie DiPetrillo (224) (University of Richmond) 6th place: Amanda Hollandsworth (226) (Virginia Tech University) 7th place: Elisa Yang (228) (University of Georgia) 8th place: Alexis Kershaw (228) (UNC – Greensboro)