Taylor Howerton wins first women’s city championship in Evansville
EVANSVILLE — No matter the venue, winning is always difficult.
Ask Taylor Howerton if this weekend was easy. The North High School graduate never felt comfortable Sunday, not with two former Division I golfers in the same group waiting for a chance. Not even a two-shot lead on the final hole felt safe.
The final round of the Evansville Women’s City Championship proved one thing: The champions still have it.
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Howerton shot 75, three over par, at Oak Meadow on Sunday to win her first City title by two strokes over Allison Enchelmayer. She never trailed in the final round and led the tournament from start to finish, with no competitor coming within a single stroke of her on the back nine.
“It’s a great feeling,” Howerton said. “I stayed calm and told myself to stay cool. One shot at a time. I did it.”
The final result is no surprise. Howerton was a prep star for the Huskies, including two trips to the state championship. She played two years at Indiana before transferring to Southern Indiana. In her final season, she set a program record for scoring average.
There were stints as a pro on mini-tours before she regained her amateur status three years ago. Her father, Jeff, won the Men’s City Tournament in 1982 and 1983 and is head pro at Sultan’s Run in Jasper. Her mother, Lu Anne, was her coach at USI and won another Senior City title this weekend.
“I’m just happy to be able to add something to the Howerton name,” she said. “It’s a great feeling to be here and I couldn’t be happier. The course was clean and the greens rolled great. It was a little windy at times, which made shots take longer.”
Howerton took the lead on Saturday with a 3-under 67 at Fendrich, but didn’t take control until the first nine holes at Oak Meadow. A spin-back wedge on the par-5 second led to an early birdie. She made another on the par-3 13th. The lead never rose above three, however, as she made a number of mistakes, notably a double bogey on the 8th hole and a final charge from the field.
Enchelmayer, a former Evansville standout, had four bogeys in her first 10 holes before cutting the deficit to two with a birdie on 14. There were chances to pile on the pressure, but a birdie attempt on 15 and a par on 16 fell just short.
“It’s been very enjoyable being at Fendrich and Oak Meadow,” she said. “After living here for over five years, it feels like my backyard. I’ve given myself a lot of chances and haven’t really given anything away. There have been a few moments where I wish I didn’t make bogeys, but they come and go here.”
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Howerton couldn’t close the door, however, with a three-putt par on hole 15 and a miss within 5 feet on hole 16. The moment came on the final two holes, including an impressive par on hole 18 after landing in the bunker. Howerton holed a 12-foot putt after Enchelmayer (68-76) nearly chipped in a birdie.
Two-time city champion Kayla Osborne finished third at 150 (69-81), followed by 2018 champion Mallory Russell and Hailey Kirkland at 151. Destynie Sheridan (154), Baileigh Schneider (159), Meghan Craven (159), Kelly McGowan (164) and Abby Shires (167) rounded out the top 10.
“The last few putts I really focused and made sure to sink them,” Howerton said. “I’ve played a little bit this summer, but not as much as I would hope as a working woman. I’ve just started playing golf for fun. I’m excited to see what I can do next.”
The other flight winners were Deeya Patel (first), Emma Seits (second), Lu Anne Howerton (senior) and Becky Howard (super senior).
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