JOURNAL SPORTS
LAKE CHARLES – Benton High School’s Abigail McWilliams again prevailed in a playoff to collect a state golf championship Sunday, capturing the 96th Louisiana Women’s Amateur Championship at Lake Charles Country Club.
McWilliams, 16, won on the second playoff hole by saving par out of a bunker to top Maci Williams of Brusly. It was the 38th hole of the day for McWilliams, who won the LHSAA girls Division I team championship for Benton on the first playoff hole May 1 in Lafayette.
Entering her senior year in August, McWilliams is the second local teenager to win the title in three years. Sydney Moss, who had just graduated from Byrd High, captured the 2022 title and will begin her sophomore season this fall at the University of Memphis. She was the consolation champion Sunday, 4 & 3 over Kay Daniel of Covington.
McWilliams’ father, Robby McWilliams, served as her caddy in the championship, which was a three-day event. Her dad is a multiple-time Louisiana Mid-Amateur and Senior Amateur champion. Her brother Noah McWilliams currently plays for LSU.
She shot a 3-over-par 76 on Friday in stroke play qualifying and entered the 16-player match play bracket as the No. 5 seed. Saturday morning in her opening match in the round of 16, McWilliams eliminated Jessica Varner of Baton Rouge 4 & 2. In the quarterfinals Saturday afternoon, she topped Evelynn Artieta of Denham Springs 1 up.
Sunday morning, McWilliams defeated Daozeng Liu of New Orleans 2 up to secure her spot in the championship match.
McWilliams never trailed in the final. She played brilliantly on the front nine and was 3 up at the turn before Williams fought back to tie the match on the 15th hole.
With the match tied after 18 holes, it extended in a sudden death playoff and the two junior golfers returned to the par 5 18th hole to continue the match.
After pars on the first playoff hole, Williams was first to play a par-3 and hit her tee shot left of the green onto a mound leaving herself a difficult chip, but McWilliams was left in no better position when her tee shot found the right greenside bunker. McWilliams was first to play and hit the shot of the day from out of the bunker to 8 feet from the hole. McWilliams was first to putt and absolutely drained the putt for par, an incredible up and down. Williams was unable to answer and missed her par putt.