USC great Katelyn Dambaugh, now on LPGA Tour, wins 2020 SC Women’s Open

Katelyn Dambaugh, an All-American at the University of South Carolina who now competes on the LPGA Tour, dominated from the start and ran away with the championship in the third S.C. Women’s Open on Sunday at Cobblestone Park Golf Club.

Dambaugh, who established multiple school records in starring for the Gamecocks from 2014 to 2017, took command with an opening 6-under-par 65 on Friday and followed with a 66 on Saturday. She owned a seven-stroke advantage going into Sunday’s final round and cruised to the title with a 69 that included a two-stroke penalty.

Her 13-under-par 200 led defending champion Sydney Legacy, a former Lexington High and Clemson star, by five strokes at 205. Former Furman standout Taylor Totland, who won the Georgia Women’s Open in June and plays on the Symetra Tour, and Jessica Welch followed at 209.

“I’m very comfortable playing with the lead,” said Dambaugh, who now lives in Columbia. “I just play my game and I think that will be fine.”

In the Open Amateur Division, Duke golfer Gina Kim fired the day’s best round, a 5-under-par 66 take the title and place third overall. The low amateur in the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open at the Country Club of Charleston, Kim finished a 7-under 206 — seven shots better than Virginia Tech golfer Alyssa Montgomery. Florida State golfer Elle Johnson from Inman placed third.

In the Senior Professional Division that concluded Saturday, Lauren Diaz birdied three of the final four holes to edge Rosie Jones by one stroke in a battle of LPGA Tour tournament winners. Diaz fashioned a two-round total of 11-under-par 131 to edge Jones, who had won the division in the first two Women’s Opens.

Jayne Pardue (Mount Pleasant) won the Senior Amateur title with a 3-over-par 145.

Open professionals

Open amateurs

Senior professionals

Senior amateurs