TAMPA, Fla. – Later this month, eight of the top amateurs in the country will make their way to Merion Golf Club to represent the United States at the 2022 Curtis Cup. Among those eight will be Florida Junior Tour alum and FSGA champion, Latanna Stone.
The Curtis Cup Match is contested by two teams of eight female amateur players, one from the United States of America and one from Great Britain and Ireland. Stone and the United States team will take on Great Britain and Ireland on June 10-12 at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.
Stone will be the fifth FJT alum to represent the USA at the Curtis Cup, joining Sierra Brooks, Lindy Duncan, Erica Popson and Lexi Thompson.
"It's such an honor to be one of the eight girls to represent the United States, and I'm just really excited to get up there," Stone said.
Like so many others, Stone was introduced to the game by her father, Mike. She first began to show an interest in the game at the age of two while watching her father practicing at home.
"My dad would hit foam balls out on our porch and I would put the ball on the tee for him," Stone recalls.
Stone’s dad sawed off a broom handle for her to swing in the yard and soon she had her own set of plastics clubs. From there, her love for the game quickly grew, winning her first nine-hole tournament at five years old.
At seven, Stone won the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship at Pinehurst Resort with her dad on the bag for her.
"It was just a cool experience to win with my dad caddying for me,” Stone said. “He was the reason I got into golf and we worked so hard, so to do that with him is something I will never forget."
The Riverview native found her way to the Florida Junior Tour not long after that, playing in her first event in 2010. Stone captured her first FJT victory in 2012 at just 10 years old, joining Lexi Thompson as the youngest FJT winner.
"To have the Florida Junior Tour and those other junior events were so important to help prepare me for moving into amateur events and college," Stone said.
Not only did Stone put together a remarkable career on Florida Junior Tour, she found success on the amateur circuit at a young age. In 2012, a 10-year-old Stone qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship, earning medalist honors at her qualifier. She was the youngest-ever qualifier for the U.S. Women’s Amateur.
Stone admits the experience was a bit overwhelming, but having that experience at such a young age prepared Stone for when she was back on that stage.
“The girls were all so much older than me and I just remember walking around being so overwhelmed,” Stone said. “But I knew that when I got into their shoes, I would be able to handle it."
She again qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur in 2014, while advancing to the Match Play at the championship in 2017.
When it came time for college, Stone made her way to Louisiana State University. Like every other college golfer, Stone had to transition to playing team golf, along with being in the classroom for the first time – after being homeschooled her whole life.
One person that helped make that transition a little smoother was fellow FJT alum and FSGA champion, Kendall Griffin. Griffin was a junior when Stone began her first year at LSU.
“Kendall helped me a lot when I first got here,” Stone said. “We were both homeschooled in Florida, so she was able to help show me the ropes and was a big help when I first got here."
Stone’s first year at LSU was anything but normal, with the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling most of the spring season and sending her back to Florida to complete her freshman year. But she did manage to put together a strong season, finishing with one of the best single season scoring averages in LSU women’s golf history (72.56).
She kept it going into her junior season, earning five top-10 finishes for the Tigers and helping lead LSU back to the NCAA Championships, where they finished ninth. She was named a WGCA All-American Honorable Mention and was also chosen to represent the United States at the 2020 and 2021 Arnold Palmer Cup.
“It was a big adjustment, but the coaching staff and my teammates here at LSU been so great here,” Stone said.
Stone also added two big Amateur wins, taking home a victory at the 2021 Dixie Amateur and the 2022 Orlando Women’s International Amateur in January.
Then in February, Stone received one of the most coveted invitations in women’s golf – to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur. It would be a return trip to Augusta for Stone, who was a 2014 Drive, Chip and Putt National Finalist.
"Everything I have worked for led me to that moment, so it was a dream come true to play at Augusta."
Stone began the championship with an even-par 72 at Champions Retreat Golf Club to sit in a tie for sixth. With a second-round 72 at Champions Retreat, Stone took a share of the 36-hole lead at even-par 144 and was set to play in the final grouping at Augusta National
She made the trip down Magnolia Lane for the final round looking to add her name to the ANWA trophy with her biggest supporters by her side – Mike and Yuen Stone.
"For my parents to see me play there, after they put everything into me, was just really special," Stone said.
After playing the first 11 holes at even par, Stone birdied two straight on the 11th and 12th to move to 2 under. The LSU junior added another birdie on the par-3 16th to give her a two-shot lead with two to play.
Things took a turn for Stone on the 17th as she hit her second shot over the green, chipped on and three-putted for double bogey.
Standing on the 18th with a share of the lead, her drive went into the trees on the right side, her second shot was short of the green, and she failed to get up and down for par, finishing the week with a heartbreaking runner-up finish.
"It was the first time I've ever gone through a loss like that,” Stone said. “It really was a grieving process and something I had to work through.”
Stone received a loud ovation as she walked off the 18th green, where Annika Sorenstam, a 10-time major championship winner, was waiting to hug her.
"I'm really overwhelmed," she said after the tournament. "I've never experienced quite a large crowd like that and have them support me. I'm going to cherish that forever. I'm going to remember walking down there and hearing my name and 'Go Tigers!' All of their support made me feel a lot better."
While the loss had been hard for Stone, she knew she had to go back out on the course and play for her team. Not even two weeks later, Stone and the Tigers teed it up in the SEC Championship.
LSU advanced to Match Play at the SEC Championship, defeating Vanderbilt and Alabama to secure a spot in the Final against the University of Florida.
After going 1 down on the 11th, Stone evened the match on the 14th. The lead that ended up giving LSU the championship came on the17th hole when the Stone rolled in an 18-foot birdie putt to take a 1-up lead.
Her short put on the 18th to win the match clinched the 2022 SEC Women’s Golf Championship for the Tigers, their first in 30 years.
Stone said to Golfweek after the win that she was more nervous at the SEC Championship than she had been on the back nine at Augusta National.
“I don’t know, it just felt way more important,” Stone said. “I could let everyone down if I don’t win this match.”
Not two weeks after her heartbreak at Augusta, Stone raised the SEC Championship trophy with her teammates by her side.
While Stone has garnered many accolades and has had great success in her career, she is quick to say that none of it would be possible without the support of her people.
"I couldn't have gotten to where I am without my family, coach and all my friends supporting me along the way."
Stone will rep the red, white and blue this summer at the Curtis Cup, before heading back to LSU for her final year.
"Golf has meant so much to me, but it's not my whole identity and I think that coming here to LSU has helped grow and learn so much."
