Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – Three-time U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion and local favorite Meghan Stasi, 33, of Oakland Park, Fla., won the 80th Ione D. Jones/Doherty Women’s Amateur Championship on Saturday at Coral Ridge Country Club.
Stasi, a member of the victorious 2008 USA Curtis Cup Team, rallied to defeat 17-year-old Jaye Marie Green, of Boca Raton, Fla., 1 up, in the championship match. The victory completed a solid week for Stasi, who eliminated defending champion Charley Hull, 15, of England, 2010 Great Britain and Ireland Curtis Cup member Holly Clyburn of England and Green. Hull is currently ranked No. 6 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking supported by The R&A and USGA.
Stasi, the 2008 Doherty runner-up, took an early 2-up lead through six holes before Green battled back to win the final three holes (two pars and a birdie) of the first nine for a 1-up advantage. Stasi birdied No. 12 to square the match and the score remained that way until Green ran into trouble at 15 to go 1 down. Stasi closed out the match with a two-putt par from 20 feet at the 18th hole.
"I was in a little slump there with my putting for a couple of holes so I am glad I got it back," Stasi told the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. “It’s an honor to win, especially to be so close the last few years.”
Stasi became the oldest winner of the event since Perry Swenson won the 2004 title at 21. Since then it has been a run of teenagers, including Coral Springs' Lexi Thompson in 2009 and 2010.
In the Senior Division, Andrea Kraus, of Baltimore, defeated 2007 USGA Senior Women’s Amateur champion Anna Schultz, of Rockwall, Texas, 1 up.
Information in this report came from Global Golf Post. To subscribe to Global Golf Post, go to http://www.digital.globalgolfpost.com.