U.Va.’s Neuhauser tops fellow Cavalier for VSGA women’s title

Whitney Neuhauser finally owns the Virginia State Golf Association title she’s long sought.

A rising senior at the University of Virginia, Neuhauser played a pitching wedge approach to 10 inches on the second extra hole for a birdie and outlasted college teammate and friend Lauren Greenlief in the championship final at the 84th VSGA Women’s Amateur Championship on Friday at Danville Golf Club.

Neuhauser, 21, the event’s stroke-play medalist and top seed, claimed her first VSGA Women’s Am title. U.Va.’s stroke-average leader as a junior, Neuhauser reached the round of 16 at this year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship followed by a quarterfinal appearance in ’08.

A three-time runner-up at the VSGA Junior Girls’ Championship, she also finished second at the ’07 Virginias Women’s Stroke Play.

“To finally get a title is just incredible. It’s a great feeling right now,” Neuhauser said. “It feels good to sort of get the monkey off the back.”

“I rolled the ball really well today. I had one of my better putting rounds. I was seeing the lines really well and I had the speed of the greens down,” said Neuhauser, who reached the round of 16 at this year’s U.S. Women’s Amateur Public Links Championship followed by a quarterfinal round appearance in ’08.

Neuhasuer and Greenlief combined for 13 birdies in the match, with Neuhauser playing the decisive short-iron shot from 112 yards at the 20th hole to tap-in range. Greenlief’s second shot came up short of the green and ultimately when her par-saving putt went past the cup, she conceded the hole to her opponent.