The last two Maryland Junior Girls champions found themselves in a playoff Tuesday at Rolling Road Country Club for the 2010 title after matching rounds of 78-80 – 158. With a birdie on the second playoff hole, 2008 winner Karishma Thiagaraj of Rockville defeated defending champion Elyse Smidinger of Crofton.
Thiagaraj, a junior this fall at Richard Montgomery, recovered after yielding a 2-stroke lead on the final four holes, making bogeys at No. 15 and No. 17.
After both players made par on the first playoff hole, Thiagaraj had a big drive on the 381-yard par-four 2nd hole, needing just a chip and a 5-foot putt to win.
When she won at Hog Neck two years ago, Thiagaraj was an unknown 14 year old, playing her first tournament in the United States after moving from India. Last year, she fell to Smidinger, a junior this fall at Arundel.
Also challenging this year was 2006 champion, Kaitlyn Rohrback of Crofton (83-76 – 159). But a bogey on the final hole left Rohrback a stroke short of joining the playoff.
