CALERA, Ala. – Playing in her first competitive tournament since March, Auburn's Mychael O'Berry didn't miss a beat winning the 30th Alabama Women's Stroke Play Championship at Timberline Golf Club on Friday.
O'Berry, one of 32 players in the field, shot par or better in all three rounds with a total of 10 birdies on the week. She finished at 2-under (70-70-71=211), two strokes ahead of the next competitor. It was her first tournament victory since she was a co-medalist at a USGA Junior event in Montgomery in June 2018.
"It feels really good to win again," O'Berry said. "My ball striking this week is what really helped me play well. I just hit the ball so solid and so consistent all throughout the three days. I think I missed one fairway all three days.
"It was definitely a learning experience. Being out of competition for four months, this will help me identify the things I need to work on moving forward."
O'Berry and the rest of the Auburn women's golf team had their season cut short in March because of COVID-19. Through the first seven tournaments, O'Berry earned three top-20 finishes with a season-best finish at the Lake Oconee Invitational where she tied for third. The junior's final scoring average, 74.05, was a career best.
Though she was able to still play golf during the pandemic, this was her first tournament.
"It was awesome to be back," O'Berry said. "Obviously, the golf courses never really shut down for me so I didn't ever stop playing, but just to be back in the competitive spirit, it was a lot of fun. It was different for sure. There were some precautions taken, obviously. Regardless, it was a lot of fun to be back out there."
Next up for O'Berry is the North & South Women's Amateur Championship at Pinehurst where she'll be joined by current Auburn teammates Brooke Sansom and Megan Schofill. The tournament is schedule for July 12-18.