SARASOTA, Fla. – Kim Benedict didn’t know it, but a birdie on the final hole would crown her the Women’s Mid-Amateur champion. Her caddie had told her that the scores weren’t updated and that she didn’t know where they stood. The truth was Benedict was in a tie for first with one to play.
After going for the green in two, Benedict rolled in a short birdie to capture the Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship on Sunday at Laurel Oak Country Club. The Bonita Springs resident used an even-par 144 to capture the one-shot victory.
“This is awesome. I’ve played in a lot of FSGA events and I’ve done well but hadn’t won anything.” Benedict said. “This is my first win in Florida so I’m really excited and this means a lot.”
Benedict took a share of the first-round lead with Meghan Stasi and Jamie Freedman, posting a 1-under 71 on Saturday. The three were the only players under par in the first round, as Kaitlyn Durrance sat in a fourth place after an even-par 72.
Beginning the final round with a share of the lead, Benedict got off to a solid start as she played the first four holes at 1 under to take the outright lead. She added two bogeys and a birdie to close out the front side at even par.
Benedict ran into some trouble on the back side with back-to-back bogeys but turned it around with a birdie on the 12th. Playing in the final group, Benedict headed to the final hole in a tie for first at 1 over.
“My best friend, Christy was on the bag,” Benedict said. “She fibbed to me a little bit, saying the scores weren’t updated and to just play hard. I didn’t know I had the birdie to win, but that was probably the best scenario.”
After her drive, Benedict was left with 193 to the front of the green and decided to go for it. She was left with a 50-foot putt for eagle and it just slipped a few feet pass the hole. Benedict rolled in the two-foot putt for birdie to secure her first FSGA victory.
“I felt more comfortable with an aggressive hybrid in than with a short pitch, especially with the pin where it was,” Benedict said. “I just tried to stay aggressive this weekend and it paid off.”
Benedict posted a final-round 73 to finish the championship at even-par 144, the only under-par score of the championship.
Meghan Stasi and Susan Glasby both took home a share of second place, finishing the weekend at 1-over 145. Glasby made a charge on Sunday, beginning the final round with a birdie on the first, before going birdie-birdie-eagle on No. 7-9. She added another eagle on the par-5 18th to card a final-round 68 to jump 12 spots up the leaderboard.
Stasi, the 2021 FSGA Hall of Fame Inductee, used a final-round 74 to take a share of second place. She finished strong, playing her final six holes bogey-free with two birdies. Freedman, who held a share of the first-round lead finished fourth at 3-0ver 147 with rounds of 71-76.
In the Middle Division, Courtney Dietrich claimed a four-stroke victory with a championship total 80-87--167. Lori Collings captured the win in the Middle Net Division, posting a 70-78--148 for the championship.
Nicola de Stwolinska was victorious in the Middle Division, finishing the championship with 81-81--162, while Josefina Ratto won the Forward Division, after carding a 86-85--171 for the weekend.
