LOS ANGELES – Auburn's Megan Schofill won the 123rd U.S. Women's Amateur Championship, defeating Latanna Stone 4&3 in the 36-hole championship match on Sunday. Schofill becomes the first Auburn player to ever win the event as Maria Martinez previously held the best U.S. Women's Amateur finish by a Tiger with runner-up honors in 2005. Schofill won the event in her third appearance since arriving on the Plains in 2019.
"It's definitely a dream come true, but I'd be lying if I wouldn't say I'm still in shock," Schofill said after the victory. "I feel like it still hasn't set in yet. Latanna [Stone] played a great match. It was really fun to be able to walk the fairways with her. And I felt like we both played really solid golf. I can't put into words the emotions I'm feeling and it's just such an honor to be able to say that I won this year."
In addition to a gold medal and custody of the Robert Cox Trophy for one year, Schofill also receives an exemption from qualifying for the 2024 U.S. Women's Open, an exemption from qualifying for the next 10 U.S. Women's Amateurs (if eligible) and an invitation to the 2024 Augusta National Women's Amateur. The victory will also likely give the Monticello, Florida native exemptions into the Chevron Championship, AIG Women's Open and Amundi Evian Championship.
"Just so excited for Megan," said Auburn Head Coach Melissa Luellen. "She truly played better golf than anyone else in the field this week. She swung the club so beautifully and when she lost a hole she fought right back. I am so honored that I was able to be here this week to witness it."
Stone, a fifth-year senior at LSU, took the initial lead with a win on the fifth hole, but Schofill gathered the lead with back-to-back wins on No. 7 and No. 8. Stone again tied the match with a birdie on the 12th hole before Schofill erupted with three consecutive wins on holes 15 though 17 to take a commanding 3-up lead at the 18-hole break.
The two traded victories to begin the second set of 18 holes before halving the next three straight. After Stone closed her deficit to two holes with a birdie on the 24th hole, Schofill responded with back-to-back wins on the following two holes to expand the lead to 4-up.
A Stone victory on the 32nd hole moved Schofill's lead back to 3-up, but Schofill's win on the 33rd hole secured the championship victory.
The 123rd U.S. Women's Amateur Champion has been crowned 👑#WarEagle #AuburnBeingAuburn pic.twitter.com/rQuPguCs0m
— Auburn Women's Golf (@AuburnWGolf) August 14, 2023
After posting a 4-under 136 in the stroke play portion of the event to advance to match play, Schofill recorded match play victories over Jackie Rogowicz, Kelly Xu, Caitlin Peirce, fifth ranked world amateur Anna Davis and Hailey Borja to make it to the final match.
Schofill was joined in this year's field with two other Auburn golfers, Katie Cranston and Casey Weidenfeld. Both Cranston and Weidenfeld advanced to the round of 32 in the event. Cranston finished the stroke play portion in fourth place with a 5-under 135 while Weidenfeld qualified for stroke play after firing a 142 (+2).
Schofill will return for her fifth season with the Tigers in 2023-24 after graduating with a degree in communications in May.