Lone Tree – Australia’s Alison Whitaker knows it’s not easy following in the footsteps of headline-grabbing golfers who have come out of the Victorian Institute of Sport, considering that the Melbourne school has produced Stuart Appleby, Robert Allenby, Aaron Baddeley and 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy.
But Whitaker took another step in making a name for herself as an amateur Thursday by winning the Colorado Women’s Golf Association Match Play Championship at Lone Tree Golf Club.
Whitaker’s 1-up victory over Colorado State University sophomore Stefanie Ferguson in the 36-hole championship match continued a strong summer of golf in Colorado for the 20-year-old Aussie. In June, Whitaker tied for third in the Colorado Women’s Open.
Later this month, Whitaker heads to Durham, N.C., where she will be a freshman on the powerhouse Duke women’s golf team. Whitaker played twice in Colorado last summer and vowed to return. She aspires to play on the LPGA Tour.
But that’s down the road.
“Playing in different places in the States, like here in Colorado where the ball really flies, it’s good experience,” Whitaker said. “I love it here.”
But Ferguson made certain that Whitaker wouldn’t have it all that comfortable Thursday. Whitaker never trailed after taking the lead on the third hole of the morning round, but she was chased all around the golf course by Ferguson. Whitaker led by as much as 4-up in the afternoon but ultimately had to make a 12-foot, par-saving putt on the 36th hole to finally put away her tenacious competitor.
“Stefanie wouldn’t go away; she just kept hanging in there,” Whitaker said.
Ferguson, a former Broomfield High School golfer, began hitting fairways and greens on the back nine of the afternoon round to make things interesting. Trailing 1-down, she looked in position to pull even on the 352-yard 15th after knocking an approach from the rough to within 5 feet of the pin.
But Whitaker answered with an 8-foot birdie putt and forced Ferguson to sweat over her shorter birdie attempt, which she also drained.
Ferguson appeared to have the upper hand again on the 408-yard 17th with a 12-foot birdie putt and Whitaker still shy of the green after her second shot. But Ferguson missed the left-to-right slider, and watched Whitaker get up and down to save par and halve the hole.
“She kept rolling everything in,” Ferguson said. “That wears on you.”
AT LONE TREE GOLF CLUB AND HOTEL
6,213 yards, par 72
CHAMPIONSHIP
* Alison Whitaker, Mira Vista G.C. def. Stefanie Ferguson, Broadlands G.C., 1 up.
CONSOLATION
* Kim Eaton, Greeley C.C. def. Ashley Tait, Raccoon Creek G.C., 21 holes.
Tom Kensler can be reached at 303-820-5456 or tkensler@denverpost.com.
