By RICHIE HALL
sports@readthereporter.com
Cailyn Henderson will soon begin her dream of making it onto the professional golf tour, but on Friday, she won the state’s biggest amateur tournament.
The Westfield graduate triumphed at the Indiana Women’s Golf Association’s Women’s State Amateur Championship, which finished up Friday at Delaware Country Club in Muncie. Henderson won the three-day, 54-hole event by four strokes with a score of 217, totaling four over par for the tournament.
Henderson led by one after the first round, scoring a 72. She then totaled another 72 for the second round, making three birdies both days. Henderson scored 73 for her Friday third round, draining one additional birdie.
“I played well,” said Henderson. It was her best-ever finish at the Women’s Amateur.
“The best part of my game was my short game,” said Henderson. “I’ve been working really hard on it,” she continued, saying that “a while ago,” it was “the worst part of my game.” Henderson decided to try to “take the worst part of my game and make it the best part of my game,” and she did just that.
“I wasn’t hitting many fairways, but that short game really stepped up, and it was definitely paying off with all the practice I was putting into it,” said Henderson.
During the tournament, Henderson said she went in to each round with the same game plan every day: Hit as many fairways and greens as possible.
“I was hitting on the green, so that really, really helped my scorecards,” said Henderson. “I went in with a positive attitude and was like, whatever happens, happens.”
While she is still playing as an amateur, Henderson has been trying her hand in pro tours. She took part in the East Coast women’s tour, then played a few events on the Cactus Tour in Arizona, where scored two top-10 finishes.
As for the future, Henderson will be playing in the Women’s Amateur qualifier next week, then in the Women’s Western Amateur. After that, she will be heading to the LPGA Q-school, which begins in mid-August.
“I will be turning pro in August,” she said.
Four other players with Hamilton County ties placed in the top 10 at the Women’s State Amateur. Becky Williams, a recent University High School graduate, finished in sixth with a 227, making six birdies along the way. Noblesville’s Caroline Whallon placed seventh by scoring 228; she totaled eight birdies for the tournament.
Katie Kuc, a Carmel graduate who just finished her freshman year at Xavier University, finished in ninth with a score of 232, collecting six birdies. Westfield’s Addi Kooi took 10th with a 234, making seven birdies.
HAMILTON COUNTY RESULTS
1. Cailyn Henderson, Westfield 72-72-73=217, 6. Becky Williams, Zionsville (University High School) 76-74-77=227, 7. Caroline Whallon, Noblesville 75-76-77=228, 9. Katie Kuc, Carmel 76-78-78=232, 10. Addi Kooi, Westfield 78-83-73=234, T16. Maggie Schaffer, Carmel 76-79-85=240, T19. Macy Beeson, Harbour Trees 82-81-78=241; Angelica Pfefferkorn, Carmel 78-76-87=241 23. Yanah Ralston, Fortville (Hamilton Southeastern High School) 85-79-78=242, T32. Ellie Karst, Noblesville 78-81-87=246, T37. Jordan Adam, Noblesville 79-86-83=248, 39. Kelsey Harveluck, Westfield 87-80-83=250, T41. Marissa Spreitzer, Fishers 83-83-86=252, T47. Sydney Longstreth, Carmel 88-89-84=261; Ava Nguyen, Carmel 86-92-83=261, T50. Allie McKeown, Westfield 88-89-86=263; Christina Pfefferkorn, Carmel 90-89-84=263, 55. Maya Berglund, Carmel 84-86-96=266, 57. Josie Kelley, Noblesville 88-91-90=269, T58. Sophia Stutz, Harbour Trees 87-89-96=272.