Meadow Tian wins Women's Ohio State Amateur

Meadow Tian captured the Women's Ohio State Amateur Championship at Moraine Country Club, defeating Addison Kartusch 3 & 2 in a dramatic 36-hole final that saw the lead change hands multiple times.

Tian seized early control, racing to 3 up through five holes in the morning round with steady par golf. Kartusch battled back to square the match by the 18th hole, then edged ahead 1 up through 27 holes.

But Tian turned the tide on the back nine, winning the 28th and 29th holes to reclaim a 2-up advantage. After Kartusch closed to 1 down, Tian won the 34th hole to go dormie and sealed the title with a birdie on the par-3 33rd. The No. 2 seed followed her game plan, and it earned her a spot in the U.S. Women's Amateur at The Honors Course in Tennessee:

"I think the key for me was just staying patient throughout the day,” Tian said after her final match. “I was just trying to play my own game and do my best on every shot, and it worked out in the end.”

The finals are set at Moraine Country Club. No. 5 seed Addison Kartusch defeated Elizabeth Ryu 7 & 6 in the semifinals, while No. 2 seed Meadow Tian closed out Eva Lim 4 & 2 to advance. The championship match is scheduled for Friday at 7:30 AM.

Kartusch, who made a hole-in-one during Thursday's Round of 32, has been dominant through the bracket with convincing victories. Tian, last year's quarterfinalist who fell to eventual runner-up Anna Ritter, has navigated a tougher path that included a 19-hole win over Audrey Ryu in the Sweet 16. The two will meet in the 36-hole final to determine Ohio's state champion.

The story of the day was the performance of No. 32 seed Cara Heisterkamp. First, she defeated No. 1 seed Emma Myers 2 & 1 in the Round of 32, ending the medalist's run at Moraine Country Club. Heisterkamp then advanced with a dominant 7 & 6, Sweet 16 victory over Elizabeth Ryu to reach the quarterfinals.

The day's most lopsided result came from Taylor Harstine, who eliminated Eva Lim 7 & 6 in the Round of 32 before losing to Lim 1 up in the Sweet 16. Second-seeded Meadow Tian survived Emily Holzopfel 4 & 2 in the Round of 32 before edging Audrey Ryu in 19 holes to advance. Kristen Belden and Addison Kartusch each won twice by matching 3 & 2 margins to set up a quarterfinal showdown. And Kartusch made an ace on the 5th hole of her morning match.

Emma Myers of Toledo fired a second-round 65 — the low round of stroke play by five shots — to finish qualifying at 4-under 140 and claim medalist honors heading into Wednesday's Round of 32. Myers bounced back from an opening 75 with a seven-birdie performance that included a front-nine 31. She leads Meadow Tian of Delaware, Ohio by two strokes at 2-under 142. Mia Raines of Galena sits third at 1-under 143, one shot ahead of Ashleigh Duflo of Ada, Michigan at even-par 144. Match play begins Wednesday at Moraine Country Club.