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The 21st Maryland State Women’s Open Championship was held October 13th and 14th at Baltimore Country Club’s East Course in Lutherville, Maryland. A total of 57 players competed for the championship trophy, including 19 MSGA amateurs and 38 professionals from across the country. The nineteen amateurs were also vying for the Campbell Cup, which was donated to the MSGA-WD six years ago by Bob Morris to honor the low amateur champion. The 2020 Women’s Open had the highest purse in the history of the championship, $15,000 with a first-place prize of $4,000.

The players were treated to a practice round on Monday, October 12th as part of the tournament, but unfortunately the remnants of Hurricane Delta brought rain to the region on Sunday and Monday, which made for a cool and damp round. On Tuesday morning, there was light drizzle and cloudy skies with temperatures rising to the low 60’s. Wednesday was a beautiful fall day with sunshine, blue skies and highs in the low 70’s. Despite the rain the golf course received prior to the event, the conditions at the prestigious A.W. Tillinghast designed course were impeccable, with beautiful vistas and a variety of challenging holes over gentle rolling hills.

Xiaolin Tian, an amateur golfer and graduate student at the University of Maryland College Park, won the Women’s Open by one stroke, finishing the tournament at four-under-par. Tian, born in Hohhot Nei Mongol, China, sunk her birdie putt on the par-3, 156 yard 17th hole to take the lead over Amanda Hollandsworth, a professional golfer from Floyd, Virginia. Tian posted back-to-back rounds of 71 on the 6,207 yard course. Hollandsworth was leading the tournament after an opening round of three-under-par, when she fired a 32 on the back-nine with birdies on holes 11, 13 and 17 and an eagle on hole 16. Hollandsworth, a former Virginia Tech Hokie who is in her rookie year on the Symetra Tour, was the low professional of the event with rounds of 70-73. Two professionals tied for third place with overall scores of 146 – Stephanie Connolly Eiswerth of Fleming Island, Florida (73-73) and Emma Jandel of Sandy Springs, Georgia (75-71).

Twelve Senior Amateur competitors teed off early both days and played from a shorter course measuring 5,757 yards with a par of 75. The Senior division was first introduced in 2019 and offers a separate trophy and prizes for amateurs and professionals. This year, there were only enough registrants to form a Senior Amateur division. Ilene Garten, a member of Baltimore Country Club, moved from third place to first place after an impressive score of 78 for her second round. In second place was Sally Ratcliffe of The Elkridge Club with 82-90–172, followed by Kimbra Benson from Breton Bay Golf & Country Club, in third place with scores of 85-90–175.

Xiaolin Tian was awarded $400 in pro shop credit, a replica of the Campbell Cup, and an MSGA-WD framed flag signed by all participants. Her name will also be engraved on both the perpetual Women’s Open and Campbell Cup trophies. This was Xiaolin’s first MSGA championship win.

Prizes were awarded to the following players:

Professionals:

1 – Amanda Hollandsworth (Floyd, VA) – 70-73–143
T2 – Emma Jandel (Sandy Springs, GA) – 75-71–146
T2 – Stephanie Connolly Eiswerth (Fleming Island, FL) -73-73–146
4 – Julienne Soo (McKinney, TX) -74-73–147
T5 – Christine Meier (San Antonio, FL) – 78-70–148
T5 – Alexandra White (Athens, OH) – 77-71–148
T5 – Jessica Porvasnik (Hinckley, OH) – 74-74–148
T5 – Taylor Babcock (Stamford, CT) – 73-75–148
9 – Sandra Angulo Minarro (Port St. Lucie, FL) – 74-76–150
T10 – Ashley Grier (Glen Mills, PA) – 77-74–151
T10 – Casey Kennedy (Venice, FL) – 75-76–151
T10 – Joanna Coe (Lutherville, MD) – 75-76–151

Amateurs:

1 – Xiaolin Tian (College Park, MD) – 71-71–142
2 – AnPhi Le (Frederick, MD) – 78-78–156
3 – Faith Choi (Frederick, MD) – 79-78–157
4 – Virunpat Olankitkunchai (College Park, MD) – 82-76–158
5 – Micaa Thomas (Bowie, MD) – 81-79–160
6 – Clare Connolly (Chevy Chase, MD) – 80-80–160

Senior Amateurs:

1 – Ilene Garten (Timonium, MD) – 91-78–169
2 – Sally Ratcliffe (Lutherville, MD) – 82-90–172
3 – Kimbra Benson (Leonardtown, MD) – 85-90–175
4 – Bonnie Fry (Bel Air, MD) – 91-90–181