Soon-to-be high school freshman wins by 3
HUNTSVILLE – A pair of champions were crowned Wednesday at Valley Hill in country club, including one in dominant fashion.
Taking center stage, Merritt Daniel of Trussville proved that steady was the key to victory in the 62nd Alabama Girls State Junior Championship.
Daniel, who will be a high school freshman in the fall, shot rounds of 74-72-72 to claim her first state girls championship. Heading into the final round of the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship four-shots ahead, Merritt Daniel posted an overall score of two-over 218 to claim the title in a field of 50 players.
Beka Yang of Pike Road finished second with at 221 (71-77-73), and Courtney Grace of Birmingham finished third, posting an overall score of 222 (73-75-74). Kamdyn Kelley of Dothan shot a 224 (75-74-75) overall to take home fourth place while Julie Waldo of Prattville posted a 226 (74-77-75) to finish fifth.
Daniel’s win earned her an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Girls Junior Championship to be held at the Atlanta Athletic Club (Riverside Course) in Johns Creek, Georgia, July 14-19.
Through her win, she also receives an exemption into Alabama Girls State Junior for the remainder of her eligibility, a five-year (2025-2029) exemption into the Alabama Women’s Match Play Championship, a five-year (2025-2029) exemption into the Alabama Women’s State Amateur Championship, as well as her spot on team Alabama’s 2025 Southern Junior Cup team.
Valley Hill provided a stern test for the girls state championship, yielding only two sub-par rounds – Yang’s opening 71 that gave her the first-round lead and Esha Gupta’s second-round 70.
Alabama Women’s Mid-Amateur
Valley Hill didn’t prove nearly as hard for Ashley-Sinclair Curtis of Enterprise, who blitzed the field by 10 shots. Curtis posted a three-round total of 7-under 209 with rounds of 71-69-69 and was the only player to break par.
After a scorecard playoff, Jesse Lawley of Hoover finished second with an overall score of 219 (72-74-73) and Lauren Martin of Alabaster posted an overall score of 219 (72-74-73) to finish third.
Curtis finished second in the inaugural Alabama Women’s State Mid- Amateur Championship in 2024.
Curtis, Lawley, and Martin were paired together throughout every round of the tournament.
Curtis shared that each of them “played several good rounds of golf” and pointed out that over the three days, none of them posted a double bogey.
The champion receives a five-year (2026-2030) exemption into the Alabama Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship, a five-year (2025-2029) exemption into the Alabama Women’s Match Play Championship, and a five-year (2025-2029) exemption into the Alabama Women’s State Amateur Championship.
Featured image courtesy of the Alabama Golf Association
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