A Strong Finish Leads Smith to Minnesota Women's State Open Title

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
 WEST ST. PAUL, Minn. – At the Minnesota Golf Association Women’s Amateur Championship last week at Town and Country Club, Kate Smith posted her best round of the tournament, a 2-over 75, during the final round to claim a nonchalant second-place finish.
 
The five-time Class AA individual champion Smith admitted that she needed to get back to work and tune her game after a disappointing start to the championship, but made some strides during her final round to remain optimistic and was eager to tee it up at her final event of the summer prior to travelling back to Lincoln, Neb., to begin her senior season at the University of Nebraska.
 
Following a round of 75 to open the 19^th Minnesota Women’s State Open at Southview Country Club, Smith rolled in a birdie on her final hole Wednesday to force a playoff with Jasi Acharya before sinking a 25-footer for birdie on the second extra hole to claim her first Women’s Open title.
 
“I definitely didn’t play the way I wanted to at the [Women’s State Amateur], knowing I was going into the State Open the next week,” Smith said after her win Wednesday. “I worked on some things in between tournaments and tried to make sure I could put up some good scores. I wanted to secure one of the Minnesota championships because I felt like my game was good enough to and I have a lot of pride in my home state, so it feels pretty good.
 
“I knew I needed to make some more putts today and, honestly, I thought I’d have to shoot a couple under. After I finished on 18, I didn’t really think I had it, so it was a fortunate, not as stressful victory.”
 
With her win Wednesday, Smith becomes the seventh player to win both the MGA Women’s State Amateur and the Minnesota Women’s State Open.
 
Smith, who claimed the 2017 MGA Women’s Amateur at Northland Country Club, got off to a shaky start Wednesday, carding a pair of bogeys over her first three holes before rolling in her birdie look at the par-5 fourth. Another pair of late bogeys to finish her outward nine put Smith at 7-over for the championship, three shots off the lead.
 
Steadying herself during the final nine holes Wednesday, Smith carded birdie at the par-3 13^th and would need a birdie on the final hole to post a tournament-low 72 during the final round, finishing 36 holes of regulation at 5-over 147 to share the lead with Jasi Acharya.
 
Both players two-putted for par on the first playoff hole before Smith’s uphill putt from 25 feet at the par-3 second found the bottom of the cup to claim her 13^th career victory in the state.
 
“You want to have a lot of confidence going into that nine-month college season, so it feels good because it feels like I haven’t had a win in a while. I’m glad to have one before I head south,” Smith said.
 
A different championship for Acharya this week, but a familiar result as the former professional and Montana transplant finished runner-up for the fourth time since last fall. A two-time winner of the Montana State Women’s Amateur Championship (2003, 2005), Acharya fell to Olivia Herrick in a playoff at the 2018 MGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship at the Legends Club last October.
 
Last month University of Minnesota golfer Grace Kellar needed four playoff holes at the MGA Women’s Match Play Championship to get past Acharya at Dahlgren Golf Club.
 
“I’m on a second-place roll. I just went and played a three-day event in Montana and finished second,” Acharya said Wednesday. “It’s been a while for me to get those feelings coming down the stretch, so I can’t really ask for more.
 
“It’s been nice to get out and to be able to compete again. It was a good field and I just came up short. I thought I was going to have to put up something under par and got a really good start early, but it was kind of a roller coaster from then on.”
 
Isabella McCauley, Alexandra Schilling and Andriel Aimua each fell one shot short Wednesday, finishing in a tie for third at 6-over par 148.
 
 
 
19^TH MINNESOTA WOMEN’S STATE OPEN
SOUTHVIEW COUNTRY CLUB
WEST ST. PAUL, MINN.
5,931 YARDS, PAR 71
 
 
FINAL RESULTS
1. Kate Smith (a), Detroit CC, 75-72—147 (won playoff)
2. Jasi Acharya (a), Interlachen CC, 74-73—147
T3. Isabella McCauley (a), Southview CC, 75-73—148
T3. Andriel Aimua, Oak Marsh GC, 74-74—148
T3. Alexandra Schilling (a), Legends Club, 74-74—148
T6. Kathryn VanArragon (a), Bunker Hills GC, 75-74—149
T6. Sophia Yoemans (a), Mississippi Nat’l GC, 75-74—149
8. Megan Munneke (a), Edinburgh USA, 73-77—150
T9. Alexandra Stone (a), Crosswoods GC, 75-77—152
T9. Molly Stevens (a), Northfield GC, 76-76—152
T9. Lexi Geolat (a), The Jewel GC, 72-80—152
 
 
For complete tournament results go to:  https://mnpga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/mnpga19/event/mnpga1925/contest/1/leaderboard.htm