Chasing down a title: Jacksonville's Kaitlyn Schroeder wins Junior PGA with late birdie run
Kaitlyn Schroeder won her latest junior tournament on one of the most historic courses in the Chicago area.
The Jacksonville native birdied three of her last five holes at the Cog Hill Golf and Country Club in Palos Park, Ill., on Friday and with a closing 66, won the girls division of the 46th Junior PGA Championship at 14-under-par 274.
Schroeder, playing in the next-to-last group, birdied No. 18, then had to wait until Rianne Mikhaela Malixi (69) bogeyed the 18th hole to be assured of the victory. Schroeder won by two shots.
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Schroeder, who has committed to play at the University of Alabama, credited her putting. She made three eagles for the week, two during a second-round 65 and one, at the par-4 13th hole, in the first round.
“It was a good day,” Schroeder told a reporter for the tournament's website. “I finally was able to make a good amount of putts. I made a couple of 40-footers, which always help. I played well the day before yesterday. So that gave me a little more confidence coming into today."
Schroeder began the day two shots behind Kiara Romero of San Jose, Calif., and Julia Misemer of Overland Park, Kan. Romero shot 71 to finish alone in third and Misemer had a 74 to tie for fourth.
"I like chasing," Schroeder said. "They [Romero and Misemer] only had a two-shot lead so coming in today, I felt comfortable where I was. I knew if I did what I did today -- not make any mistakes, hit quality golf shots, hit quality putts, it could go my way. I just wanted to give myself a chance to win today and I did.”
Contact Garry Smits at gsmits@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville's Kaitlyn Schroeder wins Junior PGA with late birdie run
