19-year-old wins second Virginia Women’s Amateur
Last summer when Oak Hill’s Amanda Steinhagen won the Virginia State Golf Association Women’s Amateur, then five days later, captured the Virginia Junior Girls’ title, it was a feat that hadn’t been accomplished in 30 years.
Friday morning at Belle Haven, Steinhagen captured her second straight Virginia Women’s Am, toppling high school sophomore Je Hee Bae of Chantilly, 5 and 4. Steinhagen, a sophomore this fall at Longwood, is the first player to win back-to-back titles in the event since Mandy Beamer (Burkville) in 2001-02, and the first in history to hold the Junior Girls and two Women’s Am titles simultaneously.
“It’s a huge thrill, especially since going into yesterday I was extremely nervous,” Steinhagen said. “I put a lot of pressure on myself, not necessarily the last few days, but today especially.”
Steinhagen, 19, was edgy on Thursday because of her formidable opponents. In the quarterfinals, she had to rally against 15-year-old Amanda Hollingsworth of Floyd, winning the final two holes for a 1 up victory.
Then in the semifinals, against former Oakton High teammate Lauren Greenlief, now at the University of Virginia, Steinhagen won on their first playoff hole after blowing a 3 up lead with four holes left.
“They were both really tough matches,” Steinhagen said. “It was really exciting.”
Friday wasn’t as nerve-wracking as Steinhagen won the first two holes and made just one bogey in her round, remaining in control throughout against the 16-year-old Bae, who fell in the semifinals last year, also to Steinhagen.
“I played really bad, but Amanda played really well,” Bae said. “I wasn’t nervous, but I had a rough start right from the beginning.”
Steinhagen’s victory didn’t come without some good fortune, however, as she skipped a shot off a water hazard at No. 7, but saved par to win the hole and go 4 up.
The next bit of business for Steinhagen is to try to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Amateur. She was a stroke shy of qualifying last year. Bae travels Saturday to Illinois for her first U.S. Junior Amateur, which begins Monday at Olympia Fields (South).
