HARBOR SPRINGS — Sarah White, BOYNE Golf ambassador on the LPGA Epson Tour, thinks the Heather course is the perfect stage for a Sunday Cinderella story in the final round of the Great Lakes Championship at The Highlands.
With her playing Cinderella, of course.
“Oh, I want to win tomorrow,” said the Grand Rapids native Saturday after shooting a second consecutive 2-under 70 for a 4-under total, seven shots behind the leader with 18 holes to play in the 54-hole $250,000 championship.
“I mean, one, I’m from Michigan, and two, I’m sponsored by Boyne and playing here. It’s like the Cinderella story, so we’re hoping that is the outcome tomorrow, but if not, I know that they’re going to be proud of me regardless.”
White, 28, recently married and living in Texas, is seven behind leader Jennifer Elliott of Australia, who shot 66 and is threatening to run away with the championship. She was at 11-under total, three shots clear of the field.
Catherine Park of Irvine, Calif., was second at 8-under after a 68, and six golfers were tied at 6-under and another five were tied at 5-under.
White said her second-round 70 didn’t come as easy as the first-round 70.
“Every day is a little bit different,” she said. “Thankfully, my putter was hot today, so I made a lot of good putts, and even the ones that didn’t go in looked like they were going in. I’m hoping that continues tomorrow.”
Her game plan will not be changing.
“I don’t feel like I need to push anything tomorrow,” she said. “I know I can score out there with the way I’m playing. If I can hit a couple of shots tighter and get a bit luckier, I know I can go low.”
White is comfortable on the Heather, which she calls a perfect championship venue.
“I have always thought it is sneaky hard,” she said. “Looking at it with just a blind eye for the first time, you’re like, okay, pretty big fairways, whatever. But then it starts getting trickier. The rough is really thick right now. The greens are rolling fast. The par 3s out there are tough. You really have to pay attention to the angles and if you are hitting the fairway make sure you are getting the right angle to the green because these greens are not easy.”
A weather delay slowed down the second round, but it was eventually concluded and the 36-hole cut to the low 60 scorers and ties fell at 1-under 143.
Former University of Michigan golfer Monet Chun, a Canadian native, shot 70 for 142 and will play on Sunday. Likewise, former Michigan State golfer Valery Plata, who is originally from Colombia, shot 71 for 141 to make the cut.
Gianna Clemente, an 18-year-old phenom in the field, currently tied with several others at 4-under after a second-round 72, has a history with The Highlands and BOYNE Golf as well.
She was just a record-setting age 12 in 2020 when she beat significantly older junior golfers and won the Coca-Cola Junior Championship at The Highlands, an American Junior Golf Association tournament held annually on property.
While she continues to set age records, including at LPGA Qualifying, she remembers the win fondly.
“This is the first time I’ve been back since, so yeah, it’s definitely coming down memory lane a little bit,” she said. “It was fun to go over and see the (Moor course) where I won on 18. Some good memories here for sure. I’m really happy to be back.”