Leslie Cloots is the leader of the Tennessee Women's Open heading into Saturday's final round
photo by Tennessee Golf Association
Her round did not start the way Leslie Cloots had planned. But by the end of the day on Friday, the Raleigh, N.C. resident had fashioned the desired outcome in spite of the afternoon rains.
In fact, maybe there was even a rainbow to be found in the rain-delayed 26th Tennessee Women’s Open Championship hosted by Fairfield Glade’s Stonehenge Golf Club.
Cloots, originally from Belgium before playing collegiate at the University of North Carolina, overcame a bogey on her opening hole before covering the remainder of the round with two birdies and the rest pars. She shot 1-under 71 on the day, placing her in the lead by two shots entering Saturday’s final round.
Her two-day total of 3-under 141 leads Knoxville’s Allie Knight and Jessica Welch of Thomasville, Ga, who are tied for second at 1-under 143.
Sitting in fourth as low amateur at even par 144 is first-round leader Isabella Johnson of Murfreesboro, while amateur Lanie Campbell from Ethridge is fifth at 1-over 145.
Each of the top golfers made a charge during Friday’s round, but Cloots’ steady play with only the first-hole miscue kept her in the lead.
Knight recorded a solid round of 1-over 73, stringing together 15 pars along with a single birdie on No. 17 and a pair of bogeys to continue her quest for the trophy.
After an opening round 75, Welch made a dramatic move up the leaderboard on Friday. She recorded three birdies on her opening nine to climb back to even par, then overcame her lone bogey on 13 with birdies on 15 and 17 to own a share of second with a round of 4-under 68.
Johnson seemed determined to separate herself from the pack, making birdies on two of her first three holes move to 5-under. But the rising high school senior struggled the rest of her round, registering six bogeys against only one more birdie to post a 3-over 75 for the day.
Campbell, who won the Tennessee Women’s Match Play last month over her sister, Karlie, also made an early advance among the leaders. She canned an eagle on the par 5 8th hole, then backed that up with birdies on 10 and 11 to move to 4-under on her round into a tie for second place. But a pair of bogeys down the stretch dropped her to fifth after a 2-under 70 on the day.
Sophia Gambini of Maryville and New York’s Chelsea Dantonio are knotted in sixth at 2-over 146, one shot better than defending champion Lynn Lim of Gallatin and Payton Schanen of Woodstock, Ga. at 3-over 147.
A total of 41 golfers advance to Saturday’s final round, with the final cut line landing at 10-over par.
In the Senior Division, Cheryl Fox of Tiffin, Ohio extended her two-shot lead entering Friday’s final round to win by a convincing ten strokes. Fox again recorded the day’s low round, posting a 79 to close at 11-over 155 for the tournament.
Fox had previously won the 2019 Florida Women’s Senior Open and had competed in the Senior LPGA Championship and the U.S. Senior Women’s Open.
Crossville’s Leslie Letner, who captured the 2023 Tennessee Women’s Senior Amateur title, tied for low amateur in second place with Loudon’s Susan Miller. Letner signed for an 87 on Friday and Miller posted an 83, compiling two-day totals of 21-over 165.
California’s Kathleen M. Robinson placed fourth at 23-over 167, while Fairfield Glade’s Jean Kraft finished fifth at 28-over 172.
For complete results, go to Tennessee Women's Open results.
Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com
Ohio's Cheryl Fox was crowned the Senior Division champion at the Tennessee Women's Open
photo by Tennessee Golf Association