2014 Top 60 Women’s Classic

 

 

GSGA Player of the Year standings 

 

Sydney Needham Wins Georgia Top 60 Women's Classic
Rising college sophomore goes 69-69 to seal victory 

 

JOHNS CREEK, Ga. - Sydney Needham of Villa Rica held on to win the Georgia Top 60 Women's Classic at 6-under-par 138, three strokes ahead of runner-up Rinko Mitsunaga of Roswell. The 33rd annual competition took place at Rivermont Country Club, June 24-25.

 

Needham began the final round with a two-stroke advantage, and ended the final round with the trophy in hand. Her score of 69 in both rounds was good enough to give Needham her first GSGA tournament win. Mitsunaga was one of five players to post a 1-under-par 71 in round one, which was three strokes behind Needham. Her 2-under-par 70 in the final round turned out to be just good enough for the runner-up spot, finishing just a stroke ahead of the third-place slot. Needham's 36-hole scorecard included eight birdies, 26 pars and two bogeys.

 

Needham, who recently finished her freshman season as a member of Samford University's (Birmingham, Ala.) golf team, recorded the lowest score in the history of the Georgia Top 60 Women's Classic. Before her 138 total, the lowest mark was 140 posted twice, most recently in 2012 by Emily Kurey of Alpharetta who won at Governors Towne Club in Acworth.

 

Isabella Skinner of Cumming (71-71) and Jessica Haigwood of Roswell (71-71) tied for third at 2-under-par 142. Three players tied for fifth at even-par 144, including Avery George of Macon (72-72), Janet Mao of Johns Creek (71-73) and Jessica Welch of Lavonia (71-73). Harmanprit Kaur of Lawrenceville finished eighth at 1-over-par 145 (75-70). Emily Kurey of Alpharetta (74-73), the Top 60 winner in 2012, and Haley Austin of McDonough (72-75), the defending champion, tied for ninth overall.

 

Runner-up Mitsunaga won the championship flight at 3-under-par 141 (71-70). Needham also claimed flight one honors. The second flight was topped by Welch at even-par 144 (71-73) (T5th overall). Marin Hanna of Moultrie won flight three at 4-over-par 148 (73-75) (T11th overall). The fourth flight was won by Pamela Mosley of Vidalia at 12-over-par 156 (80-76) (T23rd overall).

 

Entries were open to female amateur golfers who are GSGA members and have a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 15.0. The field consisted of 60 players divided into five flights by handicap index playing 36 holes at Rivermont Country Club in Johns Creek.