Jin and Claggett meet in Championship Match at the 104th Women’s Texas Amateur

CORPUS CHRISTI — Grace Jin of Huntsville and Tillie Claggett of Spring will face off in the Championship Match at the 104th Women’s Texas Amateur. This marks Jin’s second consecutive year reaching the final, while Claggett looks to claim her first Women’s Texas Amateur title and earn an exemption into the 125th U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bandon Dunes.

Corpus Christi Country Club welcomed back the Championship Flight for Quarterfinal and Semifinal matches in what proved to be an intense day of competition.

In the Quarterfinals, Bentley Cotton of Austin and Lauren Nguyen teed off first to start Match Day 2. In a back-and-forth battle, the match came down to the 18th hole. Both players found the fairway with their tee shots, where Cotton hit her approach to the middle of the green and Nguyen landed hers on the front edge. Cotton two-putted to secure a 1-up victory.

Following their match, Claggett faced Grace Kalina of Frisco. For the second straight match of the day, the contest came down to the 18th hole, where both players made par to force extra holes. Claggett prevailed on the 19th, punching her ticket to the Semifinals.

Shannon Fish of Montgomery continued her strong play with a commanding 5-and-4 Quarterfinal victory over Amelia Guo. Fish, a former University of Texas standout and the only mid-amateur in the Championship Flight, looked to keep her momentum going into the Semifinals.

For defending champion Jin, it was another win and a return trip to the Semifinals. The SMU golfer defeated Mia Nixon of Martin Hills 5 and 4 in a match that featured plenty of drama. Nixon aced the par-3 fourth hole, but Jin dominated the back nine to close out the match.

The Semifinals brought even more intensity with two thrilling matches between four outstanding players.

Claggett and Cotton exchanged blows early, making for an exciting front nine. Claggett went 2-up through two holes, but Cotton battled back with wins on Nos. 6 and 8 to square the match. Claggett closed the front nine with a win on No. 9 to regain the lead.

She extended her advantage to 2-up after winning No. 12, but Cotton again responded by taking Nos. 13 and 14 to even the match. Claggett gained a crucial edge with a win on No. 15 and followed it with a long birdie putt on No. 16 to go 2-up. Both players parred No. 17, giving Claggett a 2-and-1 victory.

“Yeah, I think I shot 7-under against Bentley and we played 17 holes, so there was some really good golf from both of us today — which is what we play the game for,” Claggett said.

Claggett enters the final riding momentum from a strong semifinal finish at the Women’s Amateur in Scotland and weeks of impressive golf.

“For me, it’s about being patient,” Claggett said. “I had a local caddie over there (in Scotland) who kept reminding me to just keep plodding away so that’s what I kept telling myself today.”

In the second Semifinal, Jin and Fish produced a memorable match between the reigning champion and the lone mid-amateur in the Championship Flight.

Fish jumped out to an early 2-up lead after five holes, putting the pressure on Jin. But the SMU standout responded, winning Nos. 6 and 8 to square the match at the turn.

Jin’s strong play continued on the back nine, as she won Nos. 11, 15 and 16 to close out the match and secure her spot in the Championship Match for the second straight year.

“The second match today was hard — a little bit,” Jin said. “I knew she was a great player, and my friend had told me a little about her before we teed off, so I was a little nervous at first. But I ended up getting the job done.”

Along with adding their name to the prestigious Spring Lake Cup, this year’s Women’s Texas Amateur champion will also earn a significant prize. The 104th Women’s Texas Amateur is recognized as an official USGA Exemption Event, with the winner receiving a spot in the 125th U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bandon Dunes this August.

“It’s incredible to have our Women’s Texas Amateur recognized as a USGA Exemption Event,” said Texas Golf Association Director of Women’s Golf Kristi Knight. “We believe we have the best amateur players in the country, and this is an incredible opportunity for them to earn a place in a USGA Championship. Tomorrow will be another great final, and we know the champion will go on to represent Texas and the TGA well.”

The official yardage for Match Day 2 was 6,118 yards. Conditions were calm in the morning, with humidity playing a factor. As the Semifinal matches got underway, winds picked up with strong gusts, presenting a challenging test for the competitors.

To view results from Match Day 2, click here. To learn more about the Women’s Texas Amateur, click here.