Women's State Amateur: Allyson Dunn Captures Title

  

Sometimes the best birthday presents are the ones you give yourself.

 

Just ask golfer Allyson Dunn of Kingsport.

 

Playing in her fourth Tennessee Women’s State Amateur Championship, No.8 Dunn – she reached the round of 16 the past two years - celebrated her 19th birthday Thursday with upset wins against No.1 seed Riley Rennell, 6&5, in the morning quarterfinals and No.4 Katherine Holmes, 3&1, in the afternoon semifinals.

 

The so-called frosting on the birthday cake, plus trophy, came today as she defeated No.15 Katie Story (Dickson, Tenn.), 2-up in the final and became the 34th different champion in the 83rd year of this prestigious tournament.

 

Story, who is a rising sophomore at Belmont University, also knocked off a couple of high seeds to reach the final defeating No.2 Blakesley Warren, 2&1, in the quarters and No.

3 Samantha Griffith, 1-up 19 holes, in the semis.

 

“I am thrilled to win this championship as match play (one player vs. one player) is my favorite form of competition,” said Dunn a rising sophomore at Tennessee Tech and noted that the women’s state amateur is the only match play event in the state.

 

“Match play tests your mental toughness as you are trying to knock someone else out of the tournament and you have to hit great shots time after time to win.”

 

Dunn hit plenty of big shots today and none bigger than a second shot on No.17.

 

Her fairway iron shot put her ball on the green 20 feet above the hole, while Story was short and below the green, then pitched 60-65 feet past the hole and ended with a double bogey. Dunn Dunn earned a par 4 and went 1-up with one to play. Story also double bogeyed the par-3, No.18 while Dunn earned a par for the title.  

 

While she had to make all the shots herself – hitting plenty of fairways off the tee, and making many big putts – Dunn knows that without support from family and friends the birthday present of being a state champion would be for someone else tonight.

 

“I thank God for the blessings He gives me every day and I give credit to my dad (Marc Dunn) who caddied for me all week and kept me focused and for the moral support from my mom, Polk Brown (Tennessee Tech golf coach), Brad Rose (her swing coach) and my boyfriend, Caleb,” Dunn stated.

 

Keys to Victory: “In match play you need to get ahead early, put pressure on your opponent and keep them chasing you and I was able to do that this week,” stated Dunn whose five match play wins included a pair of 6&5 victories and a 3&1 win.

 

 

Early Lead: In the final, Dunn took her first lead at No.2 with a par and quickly went to 3-up with par wins (to Story’s bogeys) at Nos.4 and 6, and led 2-up after 14.

 

But Story, known as the comeback kid this week, evened the match with wins at No.15 (par) and No.16 (birdie).

 

The match turned at the aforementioned No.17 as Dunn, who shot 38-36 – 74, had a winning par and closed out with a par 3 on No.18 as Story posted a double bogey.

 

Dunn also mentioned her mental toughness and ability to stay calm when Story made a back nine charge.

 

“When Katie tied the match on No.16 I stayed calm, never got down myself and was able to rely on one part of my game such as my iron play in case my drives or putting wasn’t going so well.”

 

Dunn also stated, “Katie is a solid player, one who doesn’t cave under pressure and has a lot of guts.”

 

The Golf Title That Almost Wasn’t:  Dunn grew up playing softball and became one of the best fast-pitch pitchers (55-60 mph) in the Kingsport area by the age of 12

 

But she broke her left wrist when she was 12 – she’s left-handed – at 12 when she grounded her club and struck a tree root while playing golf.

 

So instead of staying on the fast track to a life of teen age travel ball, she played fall golf in middle school fell in love with the sport and by spring of 2011 had put the bat and glove in the closet for good.

 

“And a softball swing and golf swing are not compatible,” stated Dunn who also suffered neck and back injuries in a car wreck before her senior year at Sullivan South High School, but recovered in time to help the team win the TSSAA state title in the fall of 2013.

 

A New Chapter

 

After high school – senior class president and graduated with a 4.0 grade point average and all A’s (has never made a letter grade below an A, ever) – she played her freshman year at nearby East Tennessee State, but she was far from happy, the school and golf was not a good fit, thus leading to a transfer to Tennessee Tech.

 

“The Tenn. Tech team has a real family atmosphere, it’s a good fit for me and now with this win it gives me extra confidence in my game heading into the rest of the summer and I believe I can compete at a high level and win,” she said.

 

“This is the beginning of a new chapter for me.”

The rest of the Allyson Dunn book should make for an enjoyable read for friends, family and those near to the game of golf.

 

Low Seeds Win: Two No. 8 seeds – Allyson Dunn and Ginny Zancy (second flight) and  No.7 Pam Morrow – proved to be the bracket busters of the week as all three beat a No.1 seed on the way to victory Friday.

 

Viola Greenwood (first flight) was the only No.1 seed to win.

 

83rd Women’s State Amateur – Finals June 26

 

 Championship Flight

 (8) Allyson Dunn def. (15) Katie Story, 2-up

 

First Flight

 (1) Viola Greenwood def. (2) Maggie Scott, 3&1

 

Second Flight

 (8) Ginny Zancy def. (3) Hazel Davis, 6&5

 

Third Flight

 (4) Glenna Buchanan def. (2) Lyn Thompson, 3&2

 

Fourth Flight

 (7) Pam Morrow def. (1) Carol Hornstra, 1-up

 

contact B.B. Branton at william.branton@comcast.net