Sloup's Steady Play Wins Women's Am

Ashley Sloup of Southport, NC wins first CGA title

PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (May 18, 2016) -- Final results of the 90^th Carolinas Women's Amateur Championship at The Reserve Club in Pawleys Island, S.C. on Wednesday, May 18 (6,064 yards, Par 36-36--72, Course Rating: 74.9/131).
 

Ashley Sloup came up short of victory at last year's championship held at Treyburn Country Club. Playing in the final grouping, the Southport, N.C. native would card a 79 and finish T-5.

On Wednesday at The Reserve Club in Pawleys Island, Sloup found redemption. Starting with a one shot lead over 2014 runner-up Bailey Cocca, Sloup's final round 73 was enough to claim her first CGA championship with a three shot victory.

A dramatic day began on the first hole when Carley Cox rattled her approach shot off the flagstick for a tap-in birdie. That tied the China Grove, N.C. native with Cocca, one shot back of the lead. Sloup responded on the next hole, knocking her approach shot to within a foot for a birdie to extend her lead to two shots. Cocca joined the red numbers with a birdie of her own on the par-3 third hole.

When an errant tee shot on the par-4 6th led to a Sloup bogey, Cocca and Sloup were tied for the championship. It would become a two woman race as Cox made four bogeys and a double bogey on the front nine to drop from contention.

Sloup, a rising junior at Winthrop University, played The Reserve Club's front nine in even par. Cocca, a recent Coastal Carolina graduate, made the turn one-under. A birdie on the tenth hole put Cocca in the lead. "I was thinking, 'This girl is playing good'," said Sloup. "So I knew I was going to have to step it up on the back nine to win."

Cocca's power off the tee resulted in closer approach shots, but it was Sloup's short game that won the championship. A mishit chip by Cocca on the par-3 12th led to a double bogey. Facing a two-shot deficit, Cocca then pulled her tee shot on the short par-4 16th in the woods, leading to another double bogey. Sloup made just two bogeys on her one-over round and avoid making a single double bogey over 54 holes of play. "I tried to use good course management, fairways and greens," said 20-year-old Sloup.
 

Ashley Sloup blasts from a bunker at The Reserve Club Wednesday. Sloup avoided making a single double bogey over 54 holes.

When Sloup hits a shot, her head will stay down seconds after the ball leaves the clubface. As she explained, "I try to keep my head down and listen to it go in the hole, as my [Winthrop] coach Jodi Wendt says." That head-down, focused mentality helped Sloup make 15 pars Wednesday en route to victory. "This is definitely my biggest win. It feels really good."

2015 North Carolina Senior Women's Kim Briele of New Bern, N.C. won low senior honors (women 50+) in the Championship Division, posting 80 each day for a three-day total of 240 (24-over-par). In the Carolinas Division, Sook Hee Yang was the low senior at 241. The Jamestown, N.C. native won the Carolinas Division at the North Carolina Senior Women's Championship in April. A three-day total of 246 gave Suzanne Moro of Myrtle Beach, S.C. won low super senior (65+) in the Carolinas Division.

Wednesday's low round of 70 was shot by Reona Hirai of Summerville, S.C. to finish third and Ashley Thompson of Clyde, N.C., who finished T-8. Defending champion Katie Kirk of Greenville, N.C. played the front nine today in two-under 34. Her championship total of 240 tied for 21st.

Related: Hole-by-hole scoring | Championship History | Photos

The Overall Champion, Championship Division Runner-up and low senior will automatically qualify for the 2016 Carolinas Team that will compete at River Landing (River Course) in Wallace, NC on July 11-13.

The Carolinas Golf Association would like to thank the staff of The Reserve Club for their hospitality and hard work throughout the championship. In particular the CGA wants to acknowledge Director of Golf Donald Clement, PGA; Head Golf Professional Ryan Tyndall, PGA; and superintendent Ronald Crowe.

The championship is conducted at 54 holes of stroke play (no cut). All players, regardless of Handicap Index, have the option to play in the Championship Division or the Carolinas Division. The Overall Champion will be determined from the contestants playing in the Championship Division. Entry is open to any female amateur golfer who has reached her 13th birthday by May 16, 2016, is a legal resident of North Carolina or South Carolina, is a member in good standing of a club which is a member of the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) and has an active GHIN USGA Handicap Index at a CGA member club that does not exceed 40.4.

 

90th Carolinas Women's Amateur Championship
The Reserve Club | Pawleys Island, S.C.
May 18, 2016

 

Final Results
Par 36-36--72
 

Championship Division

1   Ashley Sloup, Southport, N.C. - 75-74-73--222

2   Bailey Cocca, Myrtle Beach, S.C. - 76-74-75--225

3   Reona Hirai, Summerville, S.C. - 77-80-70--227

4   Maddisen Cox, Easley, S.C. - 75-78-77--230

T5   Annie Collom, Charlotte, N.C. - 81-76-74--231

T5   Mary-Katelyn Holanek, Cary, N.C. - 80-75-76--231

T5   Taylor Dodson, Aiken, S.C. - 85-73-73--231

T8   Ashley Thompson, Clyde, N.C. - 84-78-70--232

T8   Tiffany Robbins, Fort Mill, S.C. - 79-79-74--232

T10   Abbey Hartsell, Hickory, North Caro - 79-78-76--233

T10   Rachel Jones, Asheboro, N.C. - 81-77-75--233

T12   Catherine Ashworth, Fuquay-Varina, N.C. - 83-75-76--234

T12   Lea Venable, Simpsonville, S.C. - 73-80-81--234

14   Kate Collom, Charlotte, N.C. - 76-79-80--235

15   Juliana Sebastian, Columbia, S.C. - 77-77-82--236

T16   Jaelyn Tindal, Rock Hill, S.C. - 79-79-79--237

T16   Pendleton Bogache, Myrtle Beach, S.C. - 84-76-77--237

T16   Savanna Wood, Boone, N.C. - 79-81-77--237

T16   Stacey Tomlinson, Greeleyville, S.C. - 83-76-78--237

20   Carley Cox, China Grove, N.C. - 79-72-87--238

T21   Julie Streng, Greensboro, N.C. - 80-77-83--240

T21   Katie Kirk, Greenville, N.C. - 84-79-77--240

T21   Kim Briele, New Bern, N.C. - 80-80-80--240

24   Mallory Hetzel, Waynesville, N.C. - 79-79-83--241

T25   Gabrielle Weiss, Southern Pines, N.C. - 79-83-81--243

T25   Savannah Hallman, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. - 85-75-83--243

27   Lea Anne Brown, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. - 80-82-82--244

28   Laura Bird, Maxton, N.C. - 89-80-76--245

29   Angela Stewart, Greenville, N.C. - 84-82-80--246

T30   Patty Moore, Charlotte, N.C. - 83-83-81--247

T30   Taylor Kate Mayers, Summerville, S.C. - 81-83-83--247

T32   Bethany Renee Galloway, Charlotte, N.C. - 86-83-79--248

T32   Susan Beaupied, Pittsboro, N.C. - 80-84-84--248

34   Alexandria Bare, Kannapolis, N.C. - 87-86-76--249

T35   Alexis Kershaw, Winston-Salem, N.C. - 87-82-81--250

T35   Danielle Haizlip, Statesville, N.C. - 87-83-80--250

37   Annika Winebarger, State Road, N.C. - 91-79-82--252

T38   Cayla Smith, Easley, S.C. - 92-83-80--255

T38   Morgan Laird, Waxhaw, N.C. - 84-92-79--255

T38   Savannah Thompson, West End, N.C. - 88-80-87--255

T41   Payton Culler, Hendersonville, N.C. - 91-89-76--256

T41   Terrie Allemang, Hilton Head, S.C. - 86-82-88--256

T43   Ansley Vaughan, Edisto Beach, S.C. - 85-88-86--259

T43   Kelli Smith, Murrells Inlet, S.C. - 87-83-89--259

T43   Kristina Blaylock, Cary, N.C. - 86-89-84--259

46   Anna Wears, Durham, N.C. - 87-93-80--260

47   Chandler Case, Rock Hill, S.C. - 84-91-87--262

48   Samantha Wallace, Charlotte, N.C. - 89-91-88--268

49   Anne Washington, Conway, S.C. - 91-87-92--270

50   Cynthia Smith, York, S.C. - 101-93-87--281

51   Katherine DeVore, High Point, N.C. - 98-94-93--285

52   Mary Katherine Donovan, Hampstead, N.C. - WD

Carolinas - First Flight

1   Sook Hee Yang, Jamestown, N.C. - 76-81-84--241

2   Leigh Coulter, Hopkins, S.C. - 83-79-81--243

3   Charlotte Twitty, Chapin, S.C. - 80-82-83--245

4   Suzanne Moro, Myrtle Beach, S.C. - 84-82-80--246

T5   Carole Jones, Hillsborough, N.C. - 88-83-84--255

T5   Natalie Huff, Elgin, S.C. - 93-81-81--255

7   Louise Givens, Columbia, S.C. - 82-82-95--259

8   Suzann Bartley, Columbia, S.C. - 88-89-85--262

9   Anna Moore, Wilmington, N.C. - 95-97-91--283

10   Dianne Yelovich, Pinehurst, N.C. - WD

Carolinas - Second Flight

1   Kristen Rooke, Greenville, S.C. - 81-82-88--251

2   Peggy Yountz, Denver, N.C. - 85-82-86--253

T3   Barbara Munnett, Winston Salem, N.C. - 88-86-84--258

T3   Clate Aydlett, Elizabeth City, N.C. - 85-90-83--258

5   Bonnie Montgomery, Jamestown, N.C. - 90-83-86--259

T6   Cynthia Curry, Charlotte, N.C. - 86-87-90--263

T6   Karen Zeip, Myrtle Beach, S.C. - 86-89-88--263

T6   Lily Lee, Chapel Hill, N.C. - 85-87-91--263

9   Kelly Whitley, Greensboro, N.C. - 91-88-87--266

10   Susan Harden, Beaufort, S.C. - 89-87-91--267

T11   Ellen Miller, Pawleys Island, S.C. - 96-85-91--272

T11   Marjorie Rogers, Surfside Beach, S.C. - 92-93-87--272

Carolinas - Third Flight

1   Kathy Judge, Pawleys Island, S.C. - 88-89-90--267

T2   Laura Rawl, Charleston, S.C. - 84-97-96--277

T2   Peggy Hall, Belmont, N.C. - 89-92-96--277

4   Mary Rhodes, Greensboro, N.C. - 94-96-94--284

T5   Kyoko Tsuchiya, Mt Pleasant, S.C. - 95-97-93--285

T5   Teddy Stockwell, Charleston, S.C. - 94-91-100--285

7   Brenda Frye, Mt. Pleasant, S.C. - 107-97-91--295

8   Sara Murphy, Georgetown, S.C. - 108-94-96--298

9   Beverly Cassels, Charlotte, N.C. - 102-100-100--302

10   Barbara Sobolewski, Murrells Inlet, S.C. - 114-108-107--329

11   Joyce Robinette, Lake Wylie, S.C. - 129-128-WD--WD

                                  

About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA)

The CGA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization that was founded in 1909 to promote and to protect the game of golf in the Carolinas by providing competitions, education, support and benefits to golf clubs and golfers. The CGA is the second largest golf association in the country with over 700 member clubs represented by nearly 150,000 individuals.

The CGA annually conducts 43 championships and five team match competitions for men, women, juniors, and seniors. It also runs over 140 One-Day (net and gross) events and qualifying for USGA national championships. The CGA serves golf in the Carolinas with numerous programs such as: the USGA Handicap System; tournament management software and support; course measuring and course/slope ratings; agronomy consultation; answers about the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, and Handicapping; Carolinas Golf Magazine; Interclub series; Tarheel Youth Golf Association; Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame; expense assistance for USGA Junior and Girls' Junior qualifiers from the Carolinas; and the Carolinas Golf Foundation (CGF). The CGF has distributed more than $1,500,000 since 1977 to benefit Carolinas' golf initiatives including junior and women's programs. For more information about the CGA, visit our website.

 

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