Kayla Eckelkamp of Washington claimed fifth-place honors at the 74th Annual MWGA (Missouri Women’s Golf Association) Amateur Championship last week at Shadow Glen Golf Club in Olathe, Kan.
The 54-hole tournament took place last Wednesday through Friday, July 11-13.
Eligible players were residents of Missouri, Johnson County, Kan., or those attending a college or university in Missouri or Johnson, County, Kan.
The par 72 course at Shadow Glen played 5,906 yards.
Eckelkamp, a Borgia graduate, carded rounds of three-over-par 75 in the opening round, two-over-par 74 in the second round and three-over-par 75 in the final round for a total score of 224, eight shots over par and seven strokes behind the winner.
Eckelkamp actually finished in a tie for fourth place with Alisha Matthews of St. Louis, but lost a scorecard playoff to move down to fifth place in the final standings.
During the final round, Eckelkamp recorded one birdie, two bogeys and one double bogey for her three-over-par round.
For the 54 holes of the tournament, Eckelkamp carded six birdies, 35 pars, 12 bogeys and one double bogey.
The tournament champion was decided on a two-hole, sudden-death playoff, where Ellen Port of St. Louis defeated Catherine Dolan of Ballwin.
Port and Dolan both birdied the final hole of regulation to force the playoff.
Eckelkamp also was playing in the group with Port and Dolan.
On the second playoff hole, Port made a 15-foot birdie put and Dolan missed her birdie attempt from eight feet, which ended the tournament.
It was a record eighth Amateur Championship for Port, who finished the week with a score of 217, one shot over par.
Dolan (217) finished second and Alison Kruse of Overland Park, Kan., was third with a score of 222.
The Low Junior Trophy went to Katherine Hepler of Columbia. She finished in eighth place with a score of 235.
Judson Collegiate Invitational
Eckelkamp is playing this week at the Judson Collegiate Invitational in Atlanta, Ga.
The stroke play event features 60 of the top collegiate women and 30 of the top LPGA Legends Tour Players.
Sunday, July 15, featured a Pro-Am with one Legends player, two college players and two amateurs.
Monday, July 16, featured a Legends Tour player and two college players in an individual stroke play format with a team best ball for an added challenge.
The final two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, July 17 and 18, will be college players from NCAA Division I, II and III schools competing in stroke play.
Eckelkamp is a recent graduate of Maryville University in St. Louis, where she received her nursing degree and also played on the women’s golf team.
