The milestone 10th SCGA Women’s Amateur Championship yielded an equally remarkable champion in Annika Ishiyama who tied the women’s course record (69) at The Saticoy Club en route to capping off a rather improbable comeback victory.
Ishiyama began the final round five strokes off the lead held by Jasmine Leovao of Long Beach State. Leovao, two-time Big West Champion, entered her final 18 holes as the only player in the field to have carded two rounds under par and was just a day removed from tying the course record, herself, along with her twin sister, Janea, who also shot 69 on Tuesday.
Despite Leovao’s apparent stranglehold on the championship, Ishiyama had cut the lead to just two strokes by the time they made the turn together in the final group. Ishiyama’s bogey-free 34 was three shots better than Leovao’s 37 and a birdie on the 12th hole moved her into a tie for the lead.
The final five holes of the championship were drenched in drama as Ishiyama buried a lengthy birdie putt on the par-4 15th hole to move ahead of Leovao. The two would trade bogeys on the 16th and pars on the 17th.
With just one shot separating the leaders, each player found the fairway on the closing par 5. Leovano’s second shot landed just 20 yards short of the green and she took advantage of the great positioning stuffing a low, spinning wedge to five feet for birdie. Meanwhile, Ishiyama faced a 20-footer, above the hole, after hitting another green in regulation.
Ishiyama’s birdie try finished just low of the cup in easy tap-in range and her par set the stage for Leovao to pay off her first three shots with a potential birdie that would tie the lead and force a playoff.
It was not to be as Leovao just missed and ended up making a five to finish in solo second, just one shot back.
A large group of onlookers from the 18th green and clubhouse patio cheered raucously for Ishiyama who came all the way back from a five-shot deficit to win the 10th SCGA Amateur by a single stroke.
Ishiyama, who is committed to the University of Houston, is now on her way to the U.S. Women’s Amateur as her victory at Saticoy earned her the coveted exemption.
ANNIKA ISHIYAMA CHAMPIONSHIP INTERVIEW
SCGA: How does it feel to capture the championship?
ISHIYAMA: It feels really great. It’s been a while since I had a win, so it really feels great to have a win here at Saticoy.
SCGA: When you enter the round with such a big deficit to overcome, does your strategy or mindset change at all or are you still playing the same way you played the first two days?
ISHIYAMA: My goal this week was to just play my game and play to my best potential. My mindset didn’t change at all. I just tried to play my best and today it just went my way.
SCGA: You had that birdie on the 15th hole to take the lead for good. Can you take us through that hole?
ISHIYAMA: My goal was just to give myself a lot of birdie opportunities. I knew I was hitting the ball well and I was hitting the tee shots and second shots really well so I knew I just had to be patient.
SCGA: Did the approach change at all for the final three holes when you grabbed the lead?
ISHIYAMA: I was actually trying to get two more birdies on the last three holes. I wasn’t able to but I think that kind of mindset helped me stay focused with my game no matter what was going on around me.
SCGA: This is the tenth year of this tournament and there are names like Lilia Vu and Andrea Lea on that trophy. How cool is it to have your name next to those LPGA stars?
ISHIYAMA: It’s really cool. I saw those names on the trophy and I still can’t believe that my name is going to be on there with them.
SCGA: Now that you’re entering your collegiate career, what does a win like this at the SCGA Women’s Amateur Championship do for your confidence?
ISHIYAMA: I think it will be a really big boost. I saw a lot of college players in the field this week. I think this win tells me that I can fight out there with the college players. I’m really excited for next fall in Houston.
SCGA: You’re headed to the U.S. Women’s Am with this win. Will this be your first national championship with the USGA?
ISHIYAMA: This is going to be my second because I’m going to play in the U.S. Girls Junior Championship next week.
SCGA: What does it mean to qualify for such a big national tournament?
ISHIYAMA: It means a lot. It’s a great opportunity to get to play at the U.S. Women’s Am, to test my skills and see how I can play my own game out there. I’m really excited to see how I can handle the pressure.
SCGA: You tied the course record at Saticoy today. How would you summarize that – tying the course record and winning the Women’s Am on the same day?
ISHIYAMA: I actually didn’t know that and I really can’t believe it still.
SCGA: There were a lot of people following your group today. You went to sleep last night knowing you were going to be in the final group. Do you like the pressure? Do you like having people watch? And do you like being in the final group?
ISHIYAMA: I like the experience that comes with playing in the final group. It doesn’t change how I wanted to play the final round but it was definitely a little nerve-wracking. It was still really fun and I’m really grateful for everyone cheering us on the course for all 18 holes.
SCGA: On 18, with the tournament on the line and Jasmine having stuffed one close, were you thinking you had to make your putt? What was going through your mind when she put it so close?
ISHIYAMA: Yeah, I thought I had to make that putt to give me a chance. Again, I just tried to stay within myself, do the best that I can and see what happens.
SCGA: Can you tell me about your dad and what it was like having him on the bag?
ISHIYAMA: He really knows my game because he’s also my coach. He knows what to say at certain times so it was really helpful having someone that I trust on the bag. It was a really fun experience having him by my side.
SCGA: How are you going to celebrate tonight?
ISHIYAMA: I don’t know yet but I’ll sleep well in my own bed.
I don’t know yet, but sleep well in my own bed.