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By Chris Lang
CHARLOTTESVILLE — The match-play field is set at the 93rd Virginia State Golf Association Women’s Amateur Championship, and a familiar face will enter Wednesday’s round of 16 as the bracket’s No. 1 seed.
Defending champion Lauren Greenlief of Ashburn fired a tournament-best 3-under-par 69 on Tuesday at Farmington Country Club for a two-day aggregate 4-under 140, earning her medalist honors for the second time. Greenlief (International CC) finished four shots clear of rising Radford University sophomore Sidney Walker (Springfield G&CC).
“The tournament, to me, really kind of resets on Wednesday,” said Greenlief, who won her first Women’s Amateur last year in her fourth appearance in the title match. “You have to refocus and start playing again. In match play, I just try to be aggressive and make a bunch of birdies when I can. You know exactly what you have to do on every hole, so I like that.”
Greenlief and Walker were clearly the best two players during the two days of stroke play at the venerable Fred Findlay layout. Walker, who shot 72-72—144 finished five shots ahead of third-place finisher Katie Reilly of Potomac Falls (Trump National, Washington D.C.), who returned 75-74—149.
Midlothian’s Rory Weinfurther (VSGA Junior Golf Circuit) tied for fifth with fellow junior Kendall Turner (Greenbrier CC) at 151. The two were teammates at the recent Virginia-Maryland Junior Girls’ Matches, won by the VSGA squad.
Also joining the match-play field was Sterling’s Lauren Cottet-moine (VSGA JGC), who at 12 years old is the tournament’s youngest player by three years. Cottet-moine played at Laurel Hill last year as an 11-year-old and shot an aggregate 174. She shaved 22 strokes off that total a year later and will be the No. 8 seed in match play, opening against Danville’s Mariah Hopkins (Danville GC).
“My putting is better, and I’m definitely driving the ball farther,” Cottet-moine said. “My irons have really improved. Basically, it’s just the distance.
I just wanted to be calm and not think about how I was the youngest person. I just wanted to play my shots, putt well, chip well and drive the ball straight.”
Greenlief will open match play against Farmington member Meghan Fahey. Walker will match up with Henrico’s Diana Domenech (VSGA JGC), who will play her college golf at Longwood University starting this fall. Walker was especially strong on Farmington’s outward nine, playing the front over two days at an aggregate 3 under par.
She reached match play in 2016 at James River Country Club and lost in the first round, but with a year of college golf under her belt, she admits she has higher expectations now.
“Two years ago, I was pretty excited just to get to match play,” Walker said. “It’s been a big improvement. Match play is very unpredictable. I’m glad I’m a higher seed this year. Hopefully, I can get into my matches, get the lead early on, and get back to the consistency that I’ve had these past two days.”
There are some other interesting matches set for Wednesday morning. Former University of Virginia player Jessica Merrill (Birdwood CC) will meet Troutville’s Lyndsey Hunnell (Botetourt Swim & Golf Club). Hunnell has spent the last several years on UVa’s roster.
Reilly, who last week qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, will square off against fellow Trump National member Sophia Montenegro. Rising Virginia Tech senior Amanda Hollandsworth (Great Oaks CC), a two-time Women’s Amateur finalist, will open match play against rising James Madison senior Katie Turk (Blacksburg CC). Hollandsworth reached the finals in both 2013 and 2016.