Two Kentucky Wildcats go down to the wire to decide Women’s State Am golf title
Two University of Kentucky golfers battled it out for the title Wednesday at the 97th Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Women’s Amateur Championship at Nevel Meade Golf Club in Prospect.
Cathryn Brown, a rising junior from Eddyville, defeated C.A. Carter, a rising sophomore from Lexington, 1-up in the championship match.
The two emerged from a field of 31 players in the championship division after a day of stroke play qualifying and two days of match play.
Not only are Brown, from Lyon County High School, and Carter, from Lexington Christian Academy, teammates at Kentucky, they are roommates.
“Playing with my teammate and roommate was an awesome experience!” Brown said in a news release from UK. “We both love each other and the game of golf. We know that what happens on the course stays on the course, and we are best friends off the course. We had a blast playing against each other. She is an amazing person and competitor, and I look forward to playing with her and against her many more years to come!”
Brown came out on top in Monday’s stroke play qualifying round, shooting a 2-under-par 70 to best Carter and Nicholasville’s Bella Brooks (Lexington Catholic/Western Michigan University) by two shots. The top 16 qualifiers then advanced to match play.
Brown beat Ella Hardy of Louisville 4-and-3, Isabella Wiley of Bagdad 3-and-1 and Savannah Howell of Calvert City 3-and-1 to reach the finals.
Carter topped Ella Scherer of Rineyville 3-and-1, Taryn Walker of Prospect in 19 holes and Jenna Estravillo of Mount Washington 3-and-2 on her way to the championship match.
Brown’s advantage never exceeded one shot during Wednesday’s finals as the pair matched each other’s scores on 11 of the 18 holes. Brown secured a one-stroke edge for the final time on No. 16 and made it hold up for the win.
“You couldn’t have drawn it up any better today, playing in the final together,” Carter said in the UK release. “Both of us love competing and I couldn’t be more happy for Cathryn. She pushes me to be better every day, and I can’t wait to tee it up together this fall!”
Brown and Carter, who will be roommates again this coming school year, will return to campus in late August before the Wildcats’ season opener on Sept. 8.
