Kathryn Ha Claims Donna Title; Jeffery Wins Senior Division in Playoff

Vanderbilt standout holds off Sarah Lydic while Linda Jeffery birdies the second playoff hole to defeat Susan West at Boonsboro Country Club.

Kathryn Ha Dominates Final Round to Capture Donna Andrews Invitational Open Division Title

What began as a one-shot lead quickly became a runaway victory.

Vanderbilt standout and Salem HS graduate Kathryn Ha birdied eight holes Tuesday on her way to a final-round 65 and a commanding nine-shot victory in the Open Division of the Donna Andrews Invitational at Boonsboro Country Club.

Ha entered the final round at six-under-par, holding a slim one-shot lead over Wake Forest's Sarah Lydic. The tournament's pivotal moment came at the fifth hole when Ha's birdie coupled with a Lydic bogey, created an insurmountable four-shot advantage. Although Lydic clawed back two strokes with her own two-shot swing on the 13th hole, Ha never surrendered the lead and closed out the victory with steady play down the stretch.

The Virginia Girls Golfer of the Year and Scott Robertson Memorial champion finished the tournament at 13-under-par 203 after rounds of 67, 71, and 65. Her final round featured eight birdies and just one bogey, coming at the par-3 13th hole. The performance was an impressive final round and separated her from a deep tourney field.

Lydic, who shared the first-round lead and trailed by just one entering Tuesday, finished alone in second place at four-under-par 212 after a final-round 73.

The battle for third was far tighter.

Northwestern's Megan Meng secured third place at one-under-par 215. Meng provided one of the highlights of the day with a rare eagle on the par-5 third hole and finished as one of only three players to complete the tournament under par.

Grace Petzold and Samantha Galantini shared fourth place at even-par 216. Galantini recorded one of only two eagles in the final round, making her move on the par-5 18th hole to secure a top five finish.

One of the stories of the day belonged to Ella June Hannant.

After opening the tournament with an 80 on Sunday, Hannant steadily climbed the leaderboard with rounds of 69 and 68 to finish tied for sixth at one-over-par 217. Her final-round 68 included six birdies and matched the second-lowest round of the day and led to Low Junior status (the Gretchen Evans award) .

Kasey McIlvaine also finished tied for sixth after posting rounds of 69, 74, and 74.

Elsie MacCleery placed ninth at four-over-par 220, while Lillian McDermott and Oklahoma's Ellison Lundquist shared 10th at five-over-par 221. Lundquist recorded the day's other eagle on the par-5 12th hole.

Former Donna champion Jackie Rogowicz finished tied for 12th at six-over-par 222 alongside reigning Conference USA champion Reagan Ramage and Avery McGrath. Rogowicz final round even par 72 earned her the Low Mid Am title.

Among the tournament's biggest movers was Joelle Johnson. After opening with rounds of 78 and 77, the Bucknell standout started with an Eagle 3 on hole 1 enroute to firing a four-under-par final round 68 to climb into a tie for 15th. Kerri-Anne Cook also closed strongly with a 69 after opening rounds of 83 and 78.

Ultimately, however, the week belonged to Ha.

Facing a strong field, she answered every challenge and turned a tightly contested championship into a decisive victory over the final 18 holes

Linda Jeffery Wins Senior Division Title in Playoff at The Donna

The playoff almost never happened.

Both Linda Jeffery and 2022 Senior Champion Susan West had opportunities to separate themselves during the closing stretch, but each player bogeyed two of the final three holes in regulation, setting up a series of "what if" moments that ultimately led to extra holes.

Jeffery's round was particularly remarkable considering where it appeared headed early in the day. After a double bogey on the par-4 eighth hole, she responded with an extended conversation with herself and a dramatic turnaround. The result was one of the best stretches of golf in the tournament as Jeffery birdied the next five holes. She followed with pars on holes 15 and 17 before late bogeys on 16 and 18 which left her tied with West at one-over-par 217.

West, meanwhile, matched Jeffery posting a one-under-par 71 to force the playoff.

With regulation unable to separate the two competitors, the championship moved to sudden death where Jeffery finally gained the advantage, rolling in a birdie on the second playoff hole to capture the Senior Division title.

The victory caps an impressive week for Jeffery, who steadily climbed the leaderboard with rounds of 73, 74, and 70. A West Texas native and current Alabama resident, Jeffery arrived at Boonsboro with an impressive amateur résumé that included the 2023 Alabama Women's State Senior Amateur Championship and a semifinal appearance in the U.S. Senior Women's Amateur. She leaves Lynchburg with another prestigious victory of her golfing career.

West was equally impressive throughout the tournament. After opening with rounds of 72 and 74, she closed with a one-under 71 to force the playoff. Her runner-up finish was the result of three consistently strong rounds and one of the steadiest performances in the field.

2023 Donna Senior Division champion Kathy Hartwiger remained in contention throughout the final round before finishing alone in third place at three-over-par 219. In a round that could best be described as quietly efficient, Hartwiger recorded 16 pars, but two back-nine bogeys proved to be costly after finishing two shots out of the playoff; closing with a 74.

First-round leader Shirley Vaughn and Kimbra Benson shared fourth place at five-over-par 221. Vaughn opened the tournament with a three-under-par 69, the lowest round recorded in the Senior Division during the championship.

One of the most impressive performances of the day belonged to Jenny Kitchen. After rounds of 76 and 78 left her outside the top contenders, Kitchen fired a senior division tournament-best four-under-par 68 in the final round to climb into sixth place at six-over-par 222.

2024 champion Suzi Spotleson finished seventh at eight-over-par 224, while Judy Penman placed eighth at 10-over-par 226.

Robin Gallagher finished ninth at 18-over-par 234, and Ronda Henderson rounded out the top 10 at 20-over-par 236.

Several players produced strong final rounds despite being out of championship contention. Shawn McCullough improved from rounds of 86 and 85 to close with a 77, while Kim Briele had one of the better rounds of the day with a two-over-par 74.