“Sparty” on, Ohio!
Bowling Green’s Caroline Powers, who’ll start her college career with the Michigan State Spartans, can do just that after winning the girls’ Trusted Choice Big “I” National Championship on Thursday.
Powers finished a wire-to-wire week at Dornick Hills with a 9-over 293, six strokes ahead of Lizzie Bundy of Clayton, N.C. Powers became the first winner from Ohio in the 17-year history of the girls’ Big “I” and the seventh to lead every round of the tournament.
“It gives me some confidence to win a big tournament on a larger scale,” Powers said after shooting 74 for the second straight day. “I’m happy I was able to pull it off.”
Bundy, a high school senior verbally committed to North Carolina-Greensboro, ended up with her highest finish in the tournament. In her first appearance at Pinehurst last year, she finished near the bottom among those who made the cut.
“I was definitely more prepared,” she said. “I got a call the day before the tournament last year that I was in the field.
“Overall, it was a better experience.”
Powers held a three-stroke advantage over Bundy going into the final round. Powers made a birdie on the 13th hole and 13 pars Thursday, shooting no worse than 3-over for the round.
“I was driving the ball really well and playing consistent,” Powers said. “I kept positive thoughts and didn’t worry about the numbers.”
Ashlee Pickerell of Salem, Ore., was third at 300. The 15-year-old finished with the only sub-par round of the tournament, her 3-under 68 on Tuesday a 15-stroke improvement from Monday.
“I just tried to stay positive and be more consistent,” Pickerell said. She shot 75 on Wednesday and 74 on Thursday.
The final round saw some big moves within the top 10. Meghan Moore of Bahama, N.C., who was fifth at Pinehurst, moved four spots up to a sixth-place tie with Jenny Coleman of Rolling Hills Estates, Calif. at 20-over. Stephanie Kim of Phoenix and Bethany Buchner of Loveland, Colo., dropped five positions to an eighth-place tie at 21-over after both shot an 82.
Alyssa Shimel of Perrysburg, Ohio, and Ciera Min of Hilo, Hawaii, tied for fourth with a 303. Min will begin her freshman year of high school.
When Oklahoma, Texas collide
Heather Lott of Baton Rouge, La., missed the top 10 by just two strokes with a 312. She and Felicia Espericueta of Edinburg, Texas, who was tied for 17th with a 315, wrapped up their record-tying fifth and final Big “I”.
