JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Payton Schanen of Milton wins the Georgia Girls’ Championship at even-par 216, three strokes ahead of runner-up Diane Lim of Norcross. The 35th annual competition took place at The Standard Club, June 16-18.
Schanen’s 1-under-par 71 in the final round was one of only two scores in red numbers on Wednesday. Her 54-hole scorecard included 10 birdies, 34 pars and 10 bogeys. Schanen was the 36-hole co-leader along with Lim. Her final round started with a bogey on the first hole, then birdies on four and five. With a bogey on six, Schanen made the turn at even-par. She then bogeyed 10 and made birdie on 15 and 18 to seal the victory. Lim’s final round included birdies on one, five and seven, with bogeys on four, eight, nine, 10 and 14.
Joining Schanen and Lim on the overall top 10 include the following players: Madison Caldwell of Dawsonville at 6-over-par 222 (76-75-71) in third; Lauren Lightfritz of Suwanee (78-71-75) and Janet Mao of Johns Creek (74-75-75) tied for fourth at 8-over-par 224; Harmanprit Kaur of Lawrenceville finished sixth at 11-over-par 227 (79-74-74); Madison Barnett of Mableton came in seventh at 16-over-par 232 (76-77-79); Ivy Kang of Cumming finished eighth at 17-over-par 233 (76-82-75); two players tied for ninth at 18-over-par 234 in Tiffany Kang of Cumming (79-80-75) and Julianna Collett of St. Simons Island (79-75-80).
Mao recently won the Georgia Women’s Match Play Championship at Canongate-on-White Oak in Newnan.
The top four finishers – Schanen, Lim, Caldwell and Lightfritz – have been invited to represent Georgia in the eighth annual Georgia-South Carolina Girls’ Junior Challenge Match, a match-play team competition between the two states. This year’s event takes place at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, Ga., August 2-3.
First flight honors goes to Madison Barnett of Mableton at 16-over-par 232 (76-77-79). The flight two title was won by Christine McDonnell of Suwanee at 20-over-par 236 (80-80-76). Alejandra Ayala of Alpharetta earned third flight honors at 19-over-par 235 (79-81-75). The fourth flight title goes to Kaysie Harrelson of Tifton with her 45-over-par 261 (90-80-91).
Entries were open to female amateur golfers between the ages of nine and 18 and must have a GSGA handicap index. Entrants must be at least nine years old on or before June 16 and must not have turned 19 or be enrolled in college before June 18.
The Standard Club played to 6,139 yards and a par 72 for the Georgia Girls’ Championship.