LEXINGTON, KY – After three intense days of play during a heat wave, Abbie Lee from Glasgow emerged victorious on Wednesday at the University Club of Kentucky- Big Blue Course. Despite the challenging weather conditions, the rising senior golfer at Middle Tennessee State University persevered through multiple rounds of match play to etch her name into history in one of the state's most prestigious women's tournaments. She has won back-to-back KGA events to kick off her summer with a bang. 

Following the stroke play qualifier on day one to determine the match play participants, Lee went to work to make her way fiercely through the Championship Bracket. Shooting a 77 (+5) on Monday secured her place as the 11 seed for the match play portion of the tournament which led her to her first matchup with the 5 seed, Elizabeth Eberle of Stetson University, for the quarter-final round, where she won 2&1. She then went on to beat Macie Brown of Vanderbilt University yesterday afternoon 4&3.

She woke up this morning ready to secure a win, starting off the semi-finals with a tee time of 8:24 a.m.. After a 2&1 victory over 2005 Champion, Taryn Walker, she secured her spot in the finals right before noon. It was then that she teed off against fellow finalist and high school golf teammate, Nina McMurtrey of Western Kentucky, that she officially went out to battle for the trophy. After a fierce match with multiple challenging lies, the back-nine-bandit sunk her birdie putt on the 18th hole of the match to secure the championship with a 1-up victory. 

This win means more to Lee than just a title. In February, she was diagnosed with a condition that threatened her ability to golf or even walk again. After battling the condition for the last six months, she credits her win entirely to God and her parents for helping her overcome the odds and continue to play the game she loves. The State Am win makes this triumph that much sweeter. 

Additionally, Cynthia Powell, the 1996 Women's State Amateur champion, delivered another dominating performance to take home the Senior Championship Bracket victory. Powell is a frequent competitor in KGA women's events and continues to shine with every stop she makes on the summer tour. 

In addition to the overall champions there were champions in the following brackets: 

•  Isabella Wiley– Championship Consolation
•  Robin Brockman – Senior Consolation 
•  Carmie Sucher– Senior 1st Flight
•  Barbara Johnson – Senior 1st Flight Consolation  

Click here to view the final results

Click here to view the photo gallery
 

The Kentucky Golf Association extends its thanks to Phoenix Ramsey, General Manager; Superintendent Robert Rice III; Assistant General Manager Luke Schlicher; as well as the entire staff at the University Club of Kentucky for their assistance in hosting this tournament.

In addition, the KGA extends its deepest appreciation to our title sponsor Brent Clark from Clark's Pump-N-Shop for their continued support of amateur golf in the state of Kentucky. 

Lastly, the KGA also lends its appreciation to each player who participated in the event, as well as their caddies and spectators. 

The next premier event for women in the state is just under a month away at Kearney Hill Golf Links. The 28th Kentucky Women's State Open begins on July 15th and will showcase top competitors across the state, including some of those seen this week at the State Amateur. Registration for the Women's State Open ends on July 8th. For inquiries about the KY Women's Open, please contact Ben Larson, PGA, Director of Professional Competitions at Golf House Kentucky via email at blarson@kygolf.org.

About the Kentucky Golf Association:
The Kentucky Golf Association (KGA) is one of the three organizations encompassed under Golf House Kentucky, in addition to the Kentucky Golf Foundation (KGF) and Kentucky PGA Section (KPGA). The Kentucky Golf Association represents the amateur body of Kentucky’s golfers working in assistance with the United States Golf Association (USGA). The KGA provides a wide range of services, including handicapping, USGA course and slope ratings, and tournament management software to its Member Clubs. The KGA also operates the state’s premier amateur tournaments along with USGA National Championship qualifiers. Alongside the KGF and KPGA, the KGA strives to promote the benefits and enjoyment of golf while continuing to grow the sport across the Commonwealth.