WILLIAMSTOWN — Driven.
That’s the only way to sum up the mindset of Vesper’s Morgan Smith. The University of Georgia transfer capped the summer with her second state amateur title in three years, defeating Julia Imai 5&4 at Taconic Golf Club Aug. 16 to clinch the 121st Massachusetts Women’s Amateur Championship. With her younger sister Maddie on the bag, Morgan closed out the match in style, rolling in an 8-foot birdie putt on the par-3 14th hole.
Morgan Smith’s championship run was far from easy. She needed 20 holes in the semi-finals the day before to polish off her sister Molly Smith.
“There were flags raised that people thought I would be tired from (the previous day’s) match. I wanted to go out there and prove I was ready to go,” Morgan Smith said. “Not only did I want to win … and beat Molly, but I wanted to win the tournament.”
Smith didn’t have too much time to celebrate; following the match, she jumped in her car to begin the long trek to Athens, to join her new Bulldog teammates.
“It feels really good. I’m really pumped. It’s a great way to end the summer and get things rolling for school,” Morgan told Mass Golf’s Stephen Hanjack after the match. “You’re hoping for a long week coming into this tournament and I think coming in with that mindset makes the length of the week a bit easier.”
The win capped a whirlwind summer for Morgan. In July, she was runner-up at the Ouimet Memorial Tournament, eight shots behind winner Isabel Brozena who lapped the field and was the only player under par (see story Page 23). Smith followed with a solid effort at the U.S. Women’s Amateur at storied Southern Hills CC in Tulsa Oklahoma. She was one of 64 players to advance to match play, but was ousted in the first round.
with her win, morgan smith received an exemption into the 2025 u.s women’s amateur at bandon dunes in oregon.
According to Mass Golf, Smith and her sisters Molly and Maddie made history by becoming the first three siblings to qualify for and compete in the U.S. Women’s Amateur.
The three sisters accomplished a similar feat at the 2022 Mass Women’s Amateur when all three made it to match play at The Orchards. Morgan went the distance, winning her first state title while also grabbing medalist honors. The sisters also qualified for match play at the 2023 championship at Dedham Country and Polo.
The win carried an added bonus – an exemption into the 2025 U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bandon Dunes.
“I’m super excited to put myself in a position like that,” said Smith. “I’m happy I can give myself another opportunity to give it another run compared to the past couple of years.”
Smith sisters’ semifinal showdown
The sisters’ match at Taconic was a contrast in styles with Molly owning the edge off the tee and Morgan showing off a pinpoint short game.
The pair traded birdies on the first two holes. Morgan led 2-up after four after Morgan made back-to-back bogies on Nos. 3 and 4. From No. 7 on, Molly rallied to win four of the next five holes (the final three with birdies) to flip a 2-down deficit to a 2-up lead. Morgan leveled the match with birdies on No. 13 and 15. After closing out with three straight pars, Morgan nearly holed out for eagle on the par-5 19th with Molly conceding the birdie putt. Molly drained a do-or-die 10 foot birdie putt to keep the match going.
It all came down to putting on the 20th hole. After Morgan hit a beautiful lag from 50 feet to tap-in distance for par, Molly’s putt for par lipped out, handing the match to Morgan.
“That’s a putt I practice pretty much every day and I was lucky enough to roll it to about a foot,” Morgan Smith said in a Mass Golf interview. “Unfortunately, (Molly) didn’t two-putt hers. I’m going to go to bed pretty early but I’m bringing it tomorrow.”
Indeed she did!
