Anci Dy tops sister Anika in sudden death playoff to win Michigan Women's Amateur Championship

Jun. 18—ROCHESTER — The celebratory Taco Bell dinner followed by the drive back home was far from awkward for Anci and Anika Dy.

That says a lot for the sibling duo, considering it was younger sister Anci that proved victorious over older sister Anika in a 21-hole marathon match at the 106th Michigan Women's Amateur Championship at Great Oaks Country Club on Friday.

The meeting between the two marked the first time in the tournament's long and storied history that two sisters battled it out for the championship in the final match.

"I went in there just happy to be there," Anci said. "I was looking a little bleak there in the morning, so to just walk up to the first hole knowing I had a shot at the trophy was enough for me."

Anci found herself looking up at last year's runner-up, Mikaela Schulz, in the morning's semifinal match after being down four after the first nine holes. But the University of Indianapolis golfer turned up the heat and won the next five consecutive holes to go 1-up through 14. Schulz won No. 15, and it would take another five holes — two of the sudden-death variety — before Anci came out on top and earned a berth in the title match.

"It felt like a lot of golf. I'm not gonna lie," Anci said. "It was a lot of fighting and grinding it out and just pushing myself to do what I can do — one shot at a time."

When she finally got the opportunity to battle her sister, Anci jumped out to a quick lead with a win on the first hole.

"I knew that if it was going to be a real match, it was going to be a grind-it-out-until-the-end match," Anci said.

She and Anika played even in seven of the next eight holes with Anika tying the match with a win at No. 5.

"I was a bit in my head about it," Anika said of the first hole. "I've been working through a lot of mental stuff, so to have one of my biggest supporters also be my opponent was something I had to get over quickly."

Anika said it took about a half dozen holes before she settled down.

"After that, I just tried to treat her like any other person and like it was any other match," she said. "But it was definitely hard for me to separate the emotions, that's for sure."

Just like she did in her match against Schulz, Anci fired up the jets after the turn and won the first three holes on the back nine.

Anika stopped her sister's momentum with a win on the 13th and 15th but she still trailed by one going into the final hole.

Anika got the job done on 18, taking advantage of Anci finding the fairway bunker and missing a putt that would have given her the title.

But Anci would earn the right to hoist the championship trophy three holes later, defeating Anika in a sudden-death playoff after 21 holes. The champion said the day was more mentally taxing than physically draining.

"It was fun but nerve-wracking," Anci said. "It was definitely rewarding. As a player, I felt tested and I felt pushed, but in really good ways."

Anika admitted that the match was a little more competitive for her, being the older sister.

"I wanted to win really bad," she said. "Of course, I'm supporting (Anci) and would never wish her bad, but I'm disappointed with how it turned out for selfish reasons. But I'm super happy for and super proud of my sister. I can't wait to see what she does the rest of the summer, because she's playing really well."

Being in the finals with family was "unreal," Anika said. It also provided opportunities to dig at each other and have fun playing a competitive round against a very familiar opponent.

"There was a healthy amount of trash talking that was all in good fun," Anika said. "Us know each other and our games so well, it could have gotten scrappier and dirtier out there — but we kept it respectful and clean."

Now, Anci has the bragging rights to talk a little trash off the course.

"I'll hold it over her as long as I'm champ and until we come back and battle it out next year," Anci said. "But when we go into the Michigan Women's Open, it'll be a clean slate."

The two will take to Crystal Mountain Golf Course for the Women's Open on June 27-29.

Anika is already preparing for the impending jabs from friends and family. She said one of the biggest motivators to not lose was to avoid such interactions.

"I know how much grief I'm going to get for this loss," she said. "I know it's all in good fun, but I don't want to keep thinking about it."

Anika and Anci both work at Bay Meadows Golf Course in Traverse City, and Anika said she expects to hear it from her boss every morning for quite a while.

"So how's the runner-up doing? Where's the champ at?" Anika said with a laugh. "I'm ready for these comments, but I'm not looking forward to it."

With the Women's Open on the horizon, Anci is thankful to be able to play a sport she loves with a sister she loves and to do it at such a high level.

"Golf has helped us build such a strong foundation as friends and as sisters," Anci said. "It's something we can do for fun, to push each other, to help each other feel good. Golf has brought us together in a lot of ways outside of just being competitors."

Every time they step on the course together, it's another opportunity to make lifelong memories.

"This is something we're going to remember forever," Anci said. "I'm so proud of us both."