Brooke Seay of Rancho Santa Fe sank a 30-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat Amanda Linner of Sweden and win the Annika Girls Invitational on the Watson Course at Reunion Resort in Kissimmee, Fla.
Linner finished birdie-eagle to set a tournament record of 8-under-par 64 and catch Seay, who started her round of 70 with three straight birdies. Both made par on the first extra hole before Seay knocked in the winner after Linner missed a 20-foot birdie attempt.
“I think the pressure helps me just focus more,” said Seay, who lost the 2016 CIF San Diego Girls Championship in a seven-hole playoff. “I definitely get nervous, and sometimes I feel tense or a little shaky, but I think that it just makes me focus in on my target more and I tend to do well.”
The 16-year-old Seay (pictured with tournament host Annika Sorenstam) collected her second American Junior Golf Association victory, also having won the 2016 Tathata Golf Junior All-Star Championship, and earned AJGA All-American honors for the first time.
Seay posted a score of 69-71-70–210, while Linner wound up at 72-74-64–210.
Ya Chun Chang of Taiwan was third at 72-70-69–211, followed by Elizabeth Wang of San Marino at 75-66-71–212.
Rose Zhang of Irvine totaled 73-71-70–214 to tie for fifth with Sabrina Iqbal of San Jose, who wound up at 73-71-70–214, Virginia Green of Fairhope, Ala., who finished at 72-71-71–214, Addie Baggarly of Jonesborough, Tenn., who shot 75-69-70–214, Emilie Alba Paltrinieri of Italy, who totaled 68-70-76–214, and Rachel Heck of Memphis, Tenn., who came in at 69-70-75–214.
