Brown coasts to win with 10-shot lead
There was a decided lack of drama entering the final rounds of the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship and the first Alabama Women’s State Mid-Amateur tournaments Wednesday.
Heading into the final round with a 10-shot lead, Frances Brown went wire-to-wire to claim the 61st Alabama Girls State Junior Championship title. Brown, who will be a senior at UMS-Wright this fall, shot an impressive overall score of 203 (69-67-67) at the GlenLakes Golf Club in Foley.
“It means a lot. It just shows all of my hard work starting to pay off and it’s good momentum for upcoming tournaments this summer,” said Brown, who has committed to Auburn University.
Klare Jamison of Huntsville finished second with an overall score of 213 (67-70-74), and Kate Ha of Auburn finished third posting an overall score of 216 (76-67-73). Christine Chang of Auburn shot a 219 (72-72-75) overall to take home fourth place while Julie Waldo of Prattville posted a 223 (72,75,76) to finish fifth.
With the Alabama Girls State Junior Championship win, Brown earned her an exemption to the 2024 U.S. Girls Junior Championship to be held at the El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, California.
Morard savors her final amateur win
It was a similar story in the inaugural Alabama Women’s State Mid-Am Championship. After opening a 10-shot lead after two rounds, Michaela Morard of Huntsville claimed victory. Morard, five-time Girls State Junior winner, fired a 54-hole total of 209 (70-66-73). This is Morard’s 11th Alabama Golf Association title.
“This win means a lot to me, first since it’s the first one ever but also because it’s my last amateur tournament,” Morard said. Morard played collegiately for one year at the University of Alabama before transferring to the University of Southern California where she completed her eligibility.
Ashley Sinclair-Curtis of Enterprise finished second with an overall score of 218 (73-73-72) and Jesse Fowley of Hoover posted an overall score of 222 (77-72-73) to finish third.
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Featured image of Frances Brown courtesy of the Alabama Golf Association
