LOS ANGELES, Calif. – When the U.S. Women’s Amateur final match began on Sunday, it was two Floridians standing on the tee vying for the title: Megan Schofill and Latanna Stone. It was Schofill who came away with the U.S. Women’s Amateur title, defeating Stone, 4 and 3, at Bel-Air Country Club.
Playing in her sixth U.S. Women’s Amateur, Schofill is the first Floridian to win the title since Morgan Pressell in 2005. She also becomes the first Auburn Tiger to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur.
“It's definitely a dream come true. I’m definitely still in shock,” Schofill, an Auburn University graduate student, said. “I can't put it into words the emotions I'm feeling. It's just such an honor to be able to say I won here this year.”In the 36-hole championship match, Stone, a senior at LSU, took the first lead of the day with a birdie on the fifth hole, but Schofill won two of the next three holes to take her first lead of the day.
Schofill took control of the match as the first 18 holes came to a close, winning Nos. 15-17, including a 55-foot birdie putt from the back of the green at the par-3 16th, to take a 3-up lead into the lunch break.
“I felt like the momentum was on my side because I won 15, 16, 17. A lot can happen in 18 holes, so I was able to just keep it together.”Stone, who was dealing with a nagging right calf strain, came out and won the 19th hole after the break to cut Schofill’s lead to 2 up, but that’s the closest she would get for the rest of the match. Schofill extended her lead to 4 up on the 26th hole and secured her victory on the 33rd hole when Stone lipped out her 5-foot putt to extend the match.
With this victory, Schofill receives exemptions into the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open, Chevron Championship, AIG Women's British Open and Amundi Evian Championship, along with an invitation to the 2024 Augusta National Women’s Amateur.
Longtime friends and fellow Floridians, Schofill and Stone both had phenomenal weeks at Bel-Air Country Club and we are so happy to have these two players representing the Florida State Golf Association.
“I'm so happy for Megan. I feel like we're both the underdogs, and for us to be able to get a chance to show how we can play really means a lot.”
A Florida Junior Tour alum, Schofill captured the Florida Women’s Amateur title in 2020 on her way to being named the 2020 FGSA Women’s Player of the Year, while Stone was an 11-time FJT winner and the 2017 Florida Girls’ Junior champion.
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