Smyth Reaches Finals of Carolinas Women’s Match Play Championship

Greenville, S.C. – Virginia sophomore golfer Riley Smyth (Cary, N.C.) reached the finals of match play at the 22nd annual Carolinas Women’s Match Play Championship before falling to tournament champion Victoria Huskey, a senior at the College of Charleston. The event was held at the Furman University Golf Club in Greenville, S.C.
 
With birdies on the first two holes of the championship match, Smyth took an early 2-up lead over Huskey before the Greenville, S.C., native rebounded and made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 to make the turn all square. Huskey rode that momentum into the back nine, making birdies on Nos. 11 and 12 to find herself with a 2-up lead. Smyth was two down with two holes to play but was able to keep the match alive with a birdie on No. 17. She found herself with a birdie putt on No. 18 green to extend the match but a two-putt par again left Smyth one spot shy her first CGA victory. Smyth finished in second place at the Carolinas Women’s Amateur earlier this summer.
 
Smyth reached the finals after a 2-up win in the semifinals against Carolinas Junior Girls’ Player of the Year, Katherine Schuster of Kill Devil Hills, N.C.
 
UVA sophomore Haeley Wotnosky (Wake Forest, N.C.) was eliminated Thursday morning in the semifinal round. She fell to Huskey 6 and 5. Wotnosky will compete at the USGA’s Women’s Amateur Championship that starts Aug. 5 at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss.