Sowers Secures Junior Girls' Title at Lebanon CC
Sowers secures 2024 Junior Girls Championship by seven strokes
LEBANON, Pa. – For Kate Sowers, who led the Pennsylvania Golf Association’s 61st Junior Girls’ Championship by five strokes after an impressive first round, the question was: could she hold on to her lead during Tuesday’s difficult 36-hole schedule at Lebanon Country Club? The answer: she was absolutely up to the task. Sowers (Tam O’Shanter GC) was the only Girls’ competitor to finish under par at the Championship and finished on top of the leaderboard with a 54-hole total of 214 (-2).
“It was amazing,” said Sowers. “I felt really confident all week and I saw the shots well. I was never really in any trouble. It was just an easy three rounds of golf and was stress-free, I’d say. I’ve been playing well recently and to string together some really good holes in a tournament as big as this means everything to me.”
Sowers’ success early in her rounds was critical, as nine of her 12 birdies in the tournament came on the front nine (in addition to a pair of birdies on the 10th hole in both of today’s rounds.) Her first round score of 68 was the only one of the Championship to come in under par, and only six rounds of the week achieved even-par for the entire field. With the victory, Sowers also earns an exemption for the 71st U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship at El Caballero Country Club in Tarzana, California from July 15-20.
“I’ve tried the past two years to qualify for it and it’s been really tough,” added Sowers. “But to see the trophy in my hands right now is crazy and I’m super happy!”
Hannah Rabb (Buckness GC) earned her third consecutive PAGA Girls’ Championship runner-up honor after a three-round total of 221 (+5). Rabb was tied for fourth place after the first round and played steady golf on Tuesday, with a one-over-par 73 in the second round and an even-par 72 in the third round.
Rhianna Gooneratne (The 1912 Club) earned third place with a 54-hole total of 222 (+6). After shooting even-par in round two, she came out swinging in round three as well, notching three birdies in the first seven holes, but four bogeys on the back nine proved to be too much to overcome.
Finishing in fourth place, Anna Swan (Lake View CC) birdied five holes on Tuesday on her way to a total of 223 (+7). Clarissa Leung (White Manor CC) rounded out the top five with a 226 (+10), followed closely by Piper Smith of Conestoga Country Club in sixth with a 227 (+11). Smith had an incredible Tuesday and had the lowest scores of the day (two even-par rounds of 72) but could not overcome her 11-over-par 83 on Monday.
The Girls’ Team Championship title was shared by the Philadelphia Cricket Club duo of Sarah Stumacher/Addie Chang and the pair from Overbrook GC: Kiersten Bodge and Elayna Fanelli, as both teams finished with 54-hole totals of 490 (+58).
Bodge was excellent on Tuesday for her Overbrook team, logging a pair of rounds at three-over-par 75, while Stumacher and Chang took turns going low – Chang led the pair with a five-over-par 77 in round two, while Stumacher shot 75 (-3) in round three.
Chambersburg CC (Emily Rensch and Kaydee Beckenbaugh) earned third place with a total of 493 (+61).
Next up on this summer’s PAGA schedule are a trio of qualifiers for the 111th Men’s Amateur Championship, which takes place on July 29. The qualifiers include one in the West at Connoqueness CC and two in the East: at Coatesville CC and LuLu CC, with all rounds scheduled for Monday, July 1.
The Pennsylvania Golf Association would like to thank the staff and membership of Lebanon Country Club for the hospitality shown during this week’s Championship, with additional thanks going to DICK’S Sporting Goods for sponsorship of the event.