- Indiana Women's Golf Association photo
Annabelle Pancake, sophomore at Clemson University, went into the final round of the IWGA State Amateur Championship at Prairie View Golf Club with an astounding lead. Pancake shot a 36-hole total of 13-under-par, 131, a new IWGA State Amateur Championship record, to have a 9-shot lead going into her final round.
"There was a little voice in my head telling me how cool it was to be leading by nine shots going into the final round today, but then I told myself that everything was OK, and I just needed to go out there and keep doing what I had been doing the other two rounds," Pancake said.
Pancake's lead continued to grow in the final round of the tournament. After birdies on the par-4, 1
st, and par-5, 3
rd, Pancake had a 12-shot lead early in the round. She then proceeded to birdie the par-5, 7
th and par-4, 8
th to shoot 4-under-par, 32, on the front nine.
"After the first nine, it was relieving to know I shot 4-under-par and had a lot of room for error on the back, but I told myself to just keep doing what I was doing," Pancake said.
Pancake then had three bogeys and two birdies on the back nine to shoot 1-over-par, finishing at 3-under-par for the day. This final round of 69 allowed Pancake to finish at 16-under-par for the tournament to defeat Haylin Harris by 14 shots. The finish broke the IWGA State Amateur Championship 54-hole total record and was the most shots any player has ever won by in an IWGA event.
Oddly enough, however, Pancake didn't even know if she was going to compete in the event.
"I did not expect to win, let alone break those records, at all going into this event," Pancake said. "Just seven days ago I was throwing up sick and had a 104 degrees fever, so I didn't even know if I was going to play, but I ended up playing, and I'm so glad I did."
Pancake's win was the second time she won this event since her first in 2019.
"I give all of my glory to God always, and I literally would not be where I am today without Him," Pancake said. "I was throwing up sick a week ago, and now I'm fully healthy and just won a tournament and played some of my best golf."
View results for Indiana Women's State Amateur
ABOUT THE
Indiana Women's State Amateur
54 Hole, Stroke Play Event. Field flighted after 36
holes. This tournament is open to female Indiana
residents who are affiliated with an IWGA Member
Club and who possess an IGA-PGA Handicap index of
29.9 or less.
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