Annika Clark Wins Women’s Stroke Play Championship
SAN ANTONIO – The 94th Texas Women’s Amateur Champion, Annika Clark, adds another TGA major championship victory to her golfing career resume. The 2019 Texas Christian University graduate won the Women’s Stroke Play Championship with confidence at Briggs Ranch Golf Club. She carded a 1-under-par 71 on Sunday to post nine under for the tournament and win by three strokes.
Players took on the heat this weekend with temperatures reaching the upper 90s and heat indexes as high as 109. Clark set the pace on Sunday with her own fire. Despite the possibility of intimidation from the talented field in pursuit, she did not cool her flame.
“I was feeling the pressure; Hanna is a good player and everyone was hitting good shots. I started out hitting the ball ok… I wasn’t hitting it as close to the hole as I had been the past couple days and I was faced with a lot of longer putts and staying patient and working with what I had today,” Clark said.
Clark and Hanna Alberto of Kingwood spent most of Sunday battling for the top position. Alberto had a phenomenal chip-in on the par-4 10th hole putting her back at an even par for the final round. Her tee shot on the following hole found the fairway bunker. Alberto fought hard as she was able to punch the ball out of the bunker, layup just short of the green and chip up on the green. She drained a 30-foot putt for a phenomenal par save.
Though the match was close, Clark prevailed. Her drives were long, chips were steady and putting was seamless. Annika had two par saves on the par-3 15th and par-3 17th. Her shots from the tee box did not leave her with ideal shots to the green. On 15th tee box, Annika’s ball was laying in the right sand bunker, but she was able to splash it out onto the green and make her par putt.
Clark plans to turn professional later this summer in August. She has put in hard work, time and dedication into her golf game.
“This is the first tournament I have played since regionals for school. It was really awesome to see all the hard work I’ve been putting in payoff,” Clark said.
Hanna Alberto of Kingwood finished second in the Championship Flight with a final round score of 73 and an overall total of six-under 210. Sophie Digesualdo of Austin finished in third place with an overall score of three-under 213. Finishing with an overall score of two-under 214, low mid-amateur Melissa Loh of Dallas and Jenna Phillips of Leander.
Former Professional Golfer, Kelley Nittoli won the First Flight Division with a final score of nine-over 225.
The TGA extends its warmest and most sincere appreciation to the staff and members of Briggs Ranch Golf Club, as well as our volunteers, for their integral part in making the 2019 Women’s Stroke Play Championship a memorable and successful event.
For more information about this championship, click here.