By By Marty Stamper / EMG sports assistant
June 26, 2002
Picayune's Amanda Mathis is well on the way to claiming the unofficial Triple Crown' for female high school golfers.
She was the Class 4A state medalist in May and added the prestigious Mississippi Women's Golf Association State Amateur championship last week, beating nine-time champion Cissye Gallagher in the finals.
She's well on her way to winning the 2002 MWGA Junior Girls State Amateur championship as well as she carries a seven-stroke lead into today's final round at Briarwood Country Club.
Mathis shot a 4-under par 33 on the front nine and an even-par 37 on the back nine to finish Tuesday's round with a 4-under 70. Women's par is 74.
The highlight of the round was an eagle-3 on the par-5, 364-yard eighth hole. She also had four birdies.
Mathis' 70 is seven shots better than Tupelo's Alexis Rather, 17. Leigh Phillips, 15, of Meridian is third in the 16-18 year-old division after opening with a 79. Players may play up an age group.
Mathis placed third in last year's junior tournament behind two-time defending champion Katherine Jones of Jackson, who skipped this year's event, and Rather.
Mathis isn't counting out the competition with 18 holes remaining despite lopping five strokes off her 2001 opening-day tally.
Phillips admitted she felt the heat from Mathis' credentials at the beginning of Tuesday's play.
The back nine would be another story as Phillips had five bogeys.
Phillips needed only 27 putts.
Phillips also made the championship flight at the women's state am last week along with Rather.
In the 16-18 first flight are Ann Herring, 17, of Winona with an 83; Stephanie Beale, 15, of Pass Christian with an 85; Amanda Boykin, 17, of Quitman also at 85; Shannon Hughes, 17, of Terry at 90; and Betsy Powell, 17, of Natchez at 93.
In the 13-15 age group, Shauna Allen, 14, of Greenville holds a seven-stroke lead over Brenna Welch, 15, of Ellisville. Allen, who will be a freshman at Washington School, opened with a 47. Their age group only plays nine holes. Welch will be a junior at South Jones.
In the 10-12 age group which also plays only nine holes, Shelby Sandifer, 11, of Florence has a four-shot lead after turning in an opening-day 41. In second place is Sarah Beth Fouts, 12, of Meridian at 45; followed by Mary Langdon Gallagher, 10, of Greenwood at 49, and Brittany Johnson, 11, of Meridian at 54.
Gallagher is the daughter of Cissye and PGA pro Jim Gallagher.