Seymour’s Paxton DeHaven took home her first IWGA title
today at the Match Play Championship at Heartland Crossing GC. After solid play all week and three match wins,
DeHaven advanced to the finals against Defending Champion Brooke Beegle of
Fishers.
DeHaven grabbed an early lead this morning on the par-3, 2nd
hole after Beegle hit her tee shot into the water. On the par-5, 6th DeHaven
converted her birdie putt to gain a 2 up lead, but Beegle was not going to give up that easily. With back-to-back
birdies on holes 7 and 8, Beegle got the match back to All Square, giving
herself another look at victory this year.
With a par on 9, Beegle took a 1 up lead heading to the back
nine and suddenly this was a very different match. DeHaven continued to give herself chances on
the back nine and converted a birdie putt on the par-5, 13th hole to
get the match back to All Square.
Beegle, then, failed to get up-and-down on the par-3, 14th
hole and DeHaven took the lead back for the second time today. Another bogey on the par-4, 15th
hole by Beegle gave DeHaven a 2 up lead with just three holes to play.
Beegle and DeHaven halved the par-4, 16th,
heading to 17 dormie. With a bogey 5, on
the par-4, 17th Beegle won the hole and forced the match to 18.
Beegle hit her approach shot to three feet on the par-4, 18th, giving
herself a great look at birdie. DeHaven
responded with another impressive approach shot, and left herself with a six
footer for the win, which she converted.
“It was a really good match,” Beegle said. “Paxton played really well and I felt like I
was chasing her all day. I’m really
happy I was able to put myself in the final match again this year. I’m proud of how I played.”
Earlier this year, DeHaven tore her ACL playing Varsity
basketball, but has bounced back from her injury with a terrific start to her
2014 tournament season.
“I didn’t expect myself to come back this quickly after my
injury,” DeHaven said. “It feels great.”
This is DeHaven’s first IWGA win. She will attend the University of
Indianapolis this fall and play on the Women’s Golf Team.
“It was back and forth all day,” DeHaven said. “Brooke played really well. I just tried to play smart again today and
never got myself into too much trouble.
It feels amazing to win.”