Clinton-Massie graduate Gabby Woods wins 100th Women's Ohio State Amateur golf tournament
Having helped the New Albany girls golf team win four Division I state championships, Kary Hollenbaugh is no stranger to delivering standout rounds on Columbus-area courses.
That continued this week, as she led central Ohio competitors in the 100th Women's Ohio State Amateur held Monday through Thursday at Scioto Country Club.
The 2022 New Albany graduate, who is preparing for her sophomore season at Ohio State, reached the semifinals of the 96-player field before losing to eventual champion Gabby Woods 1 up on Thursday. Hollenbaugh trailed by three strokes through 12 holes before rallying to tie the match, which Woods claimed by winning the 18th hole.
“I’m happy,” Hollenbaugh said. “I’ve had a lot of match-play tournaments this summer. It’s good to get practice going head-to-head and it helps with stroke play.”
Woods went on to beat Eleanor Hudepohl of Cincinnati 3 and 2 in the final later Thursday. Woods birdied five of the first six holes and finished with seven for the round.
“Luckily, I came out hot and tried to keep it going,” said Woods, a 2020 graduate of Clarksville Clinton-Massie who is preparing for her senior season at the University of Findlay.
Another highlight for Hollenbaugh was recording her third career hole-in-one on the par 3, 119-yard 17th hole during match play Tuesday.
“I could see it (go in),” she said. “It (landed) a half-foot short of the pin and went in.”
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Hollenbaugh competed in her second state amateur tournament, but first since she was 13.
“It was great,” she said. “Getting to play at Scioto is such an honor and so special. They just redid the course, so it was pretty nice.”
Woods helped Findlay win the Division II national championship last season.
“This isn’t as good as the national championship, but pretty close individually wise,” she said. “It was difficult. I had to really push through the last 18. That was tough, especially in this heat.”
Woods earned medalist honors during qualifying play Monday, shooting a 68. Hollenbaugh and Olentangy sophomore Meadow Tian tied for second (69).
Other flight winners were Westlake’s Cara Heisterkamp (first), Xenia’s Grace Strickland (second) and Worthington’s Gretchen Gordon (third).
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: University of Findlay's Woods wins Women's Ohio State Amateur
