NAPLES, Fla. - The 29th Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship, hosted by TPC Treviso Bay, was a tightly contested tournament throughout all three rounds. After all 54 holes, and two playoff holes, had been completed, Alexandra Gazzoli had emerged victorious and laid claim to the title of Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Champion.
Round 1
Friday’s round began with a 15-minute delay due to lightning in the surrounding area. But once the players were able to make their way onto the course, they got their first chance to take on the difficult challenge of scoring low at TPC Treviso Bay. Intimidating tee shots and complex greens resulted in just three players recording scores under-par through 18 holes. One of these players was Alexandra Gazzoli, whose round of 4-under par, 68, was good enough to give her a two-shot, solo lead at the end of the day. After a hot start during which she birdied three of her first four holes, the Palm Coast native ultimately recorded five birdies on the day and nearly completed her round without a bogey, having just one on the par-5 18th hole. Kaitlynn Washburn, of Jacksonville, sat in solo second place by carding a round of 2-under par, 70. The Jacksonville native tied Gazzoli for the most birdies through 18 holes with five. Kavita Sehmi, of Saint Cloud, used a bogey-free back nine to shoot 1-under par, 71, and sit in solo third place.
Round 2
The second round on Saturday presented a familiar challenge to the competitors as thunderstorms created a lengthy delay in the middle of play. Despite the troublesome weather, the field shot nearly one whole stroke better than it did during the previous round. On moving day, Jacqueline Putrino, of Bradenton, laid claim to the lowest round of the day as her four birdies resulted in a score of 2-under par, 70. This catapulted her up three spots on the leaderboard into a three-way share of the lead at 2-under par. When asked about her improved performance, Putrino said, “I just hit it better. Yesterday my putting was the only thing keeping my round together. Today I was just more all-around solid.” Also in a tie for the lead was the round-one leader, Gazzoli. When sharing her thoughts about the round, the 2024 high school graduate said, “I thought I hit a lot of good putts that just didn't go in. So, I think tomorrow a lot of those will start dropping.” The third player at 2-under par through 36 holes was Washburn. After her even-par, 72, round, Washburn felt her key to success in the final round would be, “to try to stick to my same gameplan, go out there tomorrow and just try to have fun and see what happens."
Round 3
In the final round, players continued to come into the clubhouse with increasingly lower scores as the overall scoring average dropped nearly two additional strokes from the already improved scores on Saturday. Through the first nine holes, the three, 36-hole co-leaders were keeping pace with each other. While Putrino held a one-shot lead over Gazzoli, and a two-shot lead over Washburn, it was still anyone’s tournament to win with a mix of scoring opportunities and challenging holes remaining. On the par-4 11th hole, Gazzoli would make birdie to pull herself back into a tie with Putrino, while Washburn’s double-bogey created a deficit she would be unable to climb back from. Later, on the par-4 13th hole, a bogey from Gazzoli gave Putrino a one-shot lead, which she would then relinquish with a double bogey on the par-4 14th hole, and a bogey on the par-4 15th hole. With three holes to play, Gazzoli held a two-shot lead, but Putrino was not ready to give up just yet. With back-to-back birdies on the par-4 16th hole, the second-hardest hole for the round, and the par-3 17th hole from Putrino, the championship was tied once again with just one hole remaining. After both players parred the par-5 18th hole, Gazzoli and Putrino were heading into a playoff. On the second playoff hole, the par-4 1st, Gazzoli’s par would outdo Putrino’s bogey, giving the Palm Coast native her first-ever FSGA Championship.
“I don’t think its really sunk in yet, but I’m very grateful for the whole experience. I’m just really happy and I think I played really solid this week.” — Alexandra Gazzoli, 29th Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Champion
