HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE -- Summar Roachell just had to play mistake-free golf here Wednesday, and she did more than that.
The Arkansas junior-to-be from Conway finished with a 2-under 71, almost posting a second bogey-free round, for an 11-stroke victory and second straight in the Arkansas Women's Golf Association Stroke at Balboa Course.
Following rounds of 72 and 69, Roachell played 54 holes in 6-under 213.
"I felt good again today with my game and everything," said Roachell, a 25-stroke AWGA Stroke winner last year. "It was kind of like yesterday being in control of the ball and all that. I just kept telling myself to go out there and make good shots even though I was in the driver's seat. I just had to keep making quality golf shots, and I played really well on the back."
Arkansas-Little Rock sophomore Peyton Weaver, of Bryant, finished second at 5-over 224. The first-round leader Monday, Weaver trailed Roachell by eight after a 78 Tuesday.
Even for the round after nine, Roachell birdied the 10th as her third shot landed within a foot of the cup. She nearly aced the par-3 17th, sinking a two-footer for a birdie.
"They were both perfect (distances) for me," said Roachell of her back-nine birdies. "The shot on 10 was 104 (yards), and that's a max gap wedge for me. I just had to play the little slope, and I knew how much it was going to spin. Just had to execute the shot.
"... The one on 17, I thought it was going in. I almost made it. It was another good number, and I just had to make a good swing at it. I knew it was one I could hit it close because I've hit the same club on it every day."
Roachell's streak of 35 straight holes without a bogey ended at 18, where she missed the green in regulation and underhit her chip shot.
"I haven't gone bogey-free in a while," Roachell said. "I was probably thinking about that on the last hole. That might have been one of the reasons I hit a bad approach shot. But just having easy tap-in pars makes it so much easier and stress-free."
Roachell, headed to the U.S. Women's Amateur Aug. 10-16 in Portland, Oreg., said she was pleased to keep the championship trophy.
"I love these ladies here at the AWGA," Roachell said. "They've always been so good to me, and just being able to play well in their tournament, we always have a good time together. A win is always good for your confidence, and going into some of the tournaments I'm going into ... it's a big confidence boost hitting those really close shots and shooting under par."
Lisa Varney of Maumelle was third at 16-over 235.
The junior championship went three extra holes, Rogers' Brooke Matthews two-putting for par on No. 9 while Conway's Casey Ott three-putted for bogey.
"I was pretty nervous, but I was also excited because I pulled my drive a little bit in the rough. I just wanted to make birdie," Matthews said. "It just missed and she missed hers, and it was just tough because she had played so well all week."
Matthews, the reigning high school overall champion, entered 17 with a four-shot lead but had to watch as Ott made birdie putts on her final two holes. Matthews then finished with a double bogey on 18, managing to survive the first two playoff holes going back down 18.
She hooked her second tee shot left of the cart path but got up-and-down for par while Ott missed a 10-foot birdie putt for the win.
"I wasn't too happy with that tee shot," Matthews said. "I was still thinking about that 18th hole in regulation, but I just knew with my lie that I had to get something either on the green or close to the green. My leave wasn't too great because of the bunker, but I knew that I could hit the chip."
Matthews and Ott headed into the playoff at 4-under 215. Matthews shot 73 the final day while Ott had 72, her third consecutive round under par. Matthews won it on the greens with 12 birdies in the last two rounds.
"Casey and I had a great time together," Matthews said. "We rode on the cart all three days, and we're really good friends, too. It was great to have a friendly competition, and I definitely think we made our scores better."
Sherwood's Hannah Bakalekos, reigning Class 7A champ from North Little Rock High, finished third at 7-over 226, finishing with a 74.
Sports on 07/30/2015