Sarah White wins Women's Amateur Championship
By Mike Dudurich • July 21, 2022
Mike is a freelance writer and host of The Golf Show on 93.7 The Fan Saturday mornings from 7-8 AM. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeDudurich.
Sarah White made quite an impression in her first West Penn Golf Association championship at Allegheny Country Club.
White, who made three birdies in her round, took a two-shot lead into the final round of the 15th Women’s Amateur Championship. Her two-day total of 148 was good enough for a one-shot victory.
Quite a debut performance for the junior-to-be at Gannon University.
She also earned a place on the radars of the people who watched her.
As the scores would indicate, Allegheny was not for the faint of heart. The lowest scores of the day were produced by runner-up Katie Miller and Marissa Malosh with a pair of 74s.
“I played pretty solid,” White said. “I made a couple doubles but came right back with birdies on the next holes. My putting, that’s what won it for me today.”
Miller agreed.
“She didn’t miss anything inside 10 feet,” she said.
The battle was a close one for most of the day and featured stumbles, charges, and good golf shots.
On the third, White had one of those doubles, allowing Miller to tie for the lead with par. But a White birdie on the fourth restored the lead.
The two were tied when they turned for home, but a birdie on the 10th put White ahead for the remainder of the championship.
But it wouldn’t be easy.
White had all kinds of trouble on the long, uphill difficult 16th, taking a double bogey, while Miller picked up a birdie. The pair posted matching 5-4 finishes to give White the victory.
“This was my biggest win, no doubt,” White said. “We won our conference championship last year, but this was on my own. I’m pretty happy.”
In just two years at Gannon, White has had a career that sparkles like some four-year stints. She was the PSAC Athlete of the Year and the All-PSAC First Team both her freshman and sophomore years. Not surprisingly, the Erie native was the Freshman of the Year, too. And, she is also a two-time PSAC Scholar Athlete as well.
On both days, Miller struggled with her putter, playing a big role in her coming up short.
“I felt good with most of my game, but I just couldn’t get the greens,” she admitted. “These greens are very slopey and I just had a hard time figuring them out.”
The event was started in 1999 as an event for women’s club champions from WPGA member clubs. That changed in 2004 when it was opened to all women in the area who met the handicap index eligibility requirement.
It was then that the trophy was named for Judy Oliver, who was the inaugural champion, among her many championships. Ironically, Oliver’s long-time friend and rival, Carol Semple Thompson, won the title in 2004.
For historical perspective, the scoring record belongs to Katie Trotter, who posted a 70 at Edgewood Country Club. This was the first year the championship was played over two rounds.
About the WPGA
Founded in 1899, the Western Pennsylvania Golf Association is the steward of amateur golf in the region. Started by five Member Clubs, the association now has nearly 200 Member Clubs and 33,000 members. The WPGA conducts 14 individual competitions and 10 team events, and administers the WPGA Scholarship Fund.