Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Burris reaches championship match at Women's Amateur
6/29/2018 2:48:00 PM | Women's Golf
OOLTEWAH, Tenn. – Middle Tennessee senior Jenna Burris competed in the championship match of the 2018 Tennessee Women's Amateur on Friday, falling on the 18th hole to champion Mariah Smith of Clarksville, Tenn.
Last summer, Burris made a similar run at the Tennessee Women's Amateur title, falling in the semifinals at Memphis National Golf Club in Collierville, Tenn., one match shy of how far she advanced on Friday.
Burris started the week strong with a 1-under 71 in the opening round of stroke play at The Honors Course in Ooltewah and earned a No. 4 seeding in match play following the conclusion of stroke play on Tuesday.
The Manchester, Tenn., native notched a 5&4 win against Lipscomb women's golf coach Jesse Lawley and a 4&3 win against former Eastern Kentucky golfer Melissa Walsh on Wednesday to move into the quarterfinals and kept rolling Thursday morning with a 3&2 win against former Lipscomb golfer Samantha Griffith to make the semifinals.
Thursday afternoon, Burris came up against the youngest competitor in the field, 13-year old Sophie Linder of Carthage, Tenn., who reached the semis after a 21-hole battle with University of Florida golfer Addison Baggarly.
Burris and Linder embarked on a similar battle shortly after in which the Blue Raider senior edged out her opponent in 20 holes to reach the finals for the first time.
Smith, a sophomore on the University of Tennessee women's golf team, took the early lead on Burris and went 2-up on hole 12, but Burris came roaring back to take a 1-hole lead just four holes later.
Smith evened the score back up on 17 and the two teed off on 18 all square. Burris' tee shot went left of the fairway and nestled up underneath a pair of trees, but an incredible second shot left her just off the green with a chance at an up and down for par.
Her chip found the green, but a 2-putt for bogey opened the door for Smith to seal the championship by a score of 1-up on the 18th green.
Burris will look to continue building momentum going into her final season of eligibility when she next competes in a U.S. Amateur Qualifier on July 9.
She will also be competing later this summer in the Tennessee Women's State Open on July 26-28 before she and teammate Hanley Long will look to defend their Tennessee Women's Four-Ball title on August 21-22.
Last summer, Burris made a similar run at the Tennessee Women's Amateur title, falling in the semifinals at Memphis National Golf Club in Collierville, Tenn., one match shy of how far she advanced on Friday.
Burris started the week strong with a 1-under 71 in the opening round of stroke play at The Honors Course in Ooltewah and earned a No. 4 seeding in match play following the conclusion of stroke play on Tuesday.
The Manchester, Tenn., native notched a 5&4 win against Lipscomb women's golf coach Jesse Lawley and a 4&3 win against former Eastern Kentucky golfer Melissa Walsh on Wednesday to move into the quarterfinals and kept rolling Thursday morning with a 3&2 win against former Lipscomb golfer Samantha Griffith to make the semifinals.
Thursday afternoon, Burris came up against the youngest competitor in the field, 13-year old Sophie Linder of Carthage, Tenn., who reached the semis after a 21-hole battle with University of Florida golfer Addison Baggarly.
Burris and Linder embarked on a similar battle shortly after in which the Blue Raider senior edged out her opponent in 20 holes to reach the finals for the first time.
Smith, a sophomore on the University of Tennessee women's golf team, took the early lead on Burris and went 2-up on hole 12, but Burris came roaring back to take a 1-hole lead just four holes later.
Smith evened the score back up on 17 and the two teed off on 18 all square. Burris' tee shot went left of the fairway and nestled up underneath a pair of trees, but an incredible second shot left her just off the green with a chance at an up and down for par.
Her chip found the green, but a 2-putt for bogey opened the door for Smith to seal the championship by a score of 1-up on the 18th green.
Burris will look to continue building momentum going into her final season of eligibility when she next competes in a U.S. Amateur Qualifier on July 9.
She will also be competing later this summer in the Tennessee Women's State Open on July 26-28 before she and teammate Hanley Long will look to defend their Tennessee Women's Four-Ball title on August 21-22.
Players Mentioned
/ Women's Golf
/ Women's Golf
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