Dantonio survives three-way playoff to secure her first professional win

CROSSVILLE, Tenn. — Battling wet conditions and one of the largest fields in Tennessee Women’s Open history, Chelsea Dantonio had her work cut out for her. She started Saturday five shots back of the leader but played steadily to earn a spot in a three-person playoff. The steady play continued for the East Aurora, New York native to earn her first professional win.

“This is my first professional win and it’s kind of exciting to break through that,” Dantonio said in front of the large crowd of spectators gathered on the 18th green. “Thanks to my parents and coaches who have been through everything with me.”

The final round scorecard from the surface shows steady play after putting together two straight even-par rounds to wrap up the 26th Tennessee Women’s Open. The final nine holes of Dantonio’s win were anything but boring.

After making nine straight pars to start her final round, Dantonio didn’t make a single one on her back nine. Five birdies, three bogeys and a double was the perfect encapsulation of the kinds of rounds that are out there at Stonehenge Golf Course. Dantonio’s calm demeanor allowed her to stay even through the ups and downs on the scorecard and get a spot in the playoff.

In the playoff were Knoxville teaching professional Allie Knight and defending champion Lynn Lim. Knight, playing in her first Tennessee Women’s Open, had a tricky downhill putt on the 18th hole to secure her spot in the playoff. Lim saved her best round for last, firing a 1-under-par 71 on Saturday for a shot to defend her title.

The playoff took place on the 18th hole in front of the hundreds of patrons gathered to watch the final round. Lim hit first off the tee and was just left of the fairway while Dantonio and Knight both found the short grass. Knight’s approach shot was short and left of the green while Dantonio and Lim ended up on the front portion of the green. Knight and Lim left themselves lengthy par putts they couldn’t convert. With about five feet to the hole, Dantonio sank her par putt and followed it up with a fist pump of celebration; her first professional win secured.

Finishing in fourth place was the round two leader Leslie Cloots out of Raliegh, North Carolina. She led by two at the turn but ran into trouble on the challenging back nine. Cloots played the final six holes six-over-par to fall one stroke out of the playoff. Cloots, however, was the only player in the field to turn in two rounds of under-par play with her 70-71 start to the tournament.

Isabella Johnson and Lanie Campbell continued their strong summers, finishing in a tie for fifth overall and a tie for second amongst amateurs. Johnson, the rising senior in high school, had the low round of day one with her 3-under 69 to lead the Women’s Open after 18 holes. Campbell had a strong showing, especially during round two where she had her best round of the tournament, firing a 2-under-par 70 to put her in fifth place headed to the final round.

In the Tennessee Women’s Senior Open, it was Cheryl Fox who took home the top prize. The Tiffin, Ohio resident outpaced the field by ten strokes, finishing with an 11-over-par 155 over two days. 2023 Tennessee Women’s Senior Amateur Champion Leslie Letner and 2023 Tennessee Women’s Senior Player of the Year Sue Miller finished in a tie for second overall and low amateur. In fourth place was 2006 Tennessee Women’s Open Champion Kathleen Robinson and Fairfield Glade resident Jean Kraft rounded out the top 5.