Indianola’s Leanne Smith (right) was in familiar territory entering Thursday’s semifinal match at the 9th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship.

Smith, who won the title last year at Tournament Club of Iowa, was in the hunt for another title in 2020 at Talons of Tuscany Golf Club in Ankeny. Following a 5&3 up victory over Ankeny’s Karli Kerrigan, Smith met 2018 IGA Women’s Match Play Champion Sydney Eaton, of Mason City.

Eaton, who prevailed in her morning semifinal match against Samantha Knight (3&2) got off to a quick 2 up advantage early in the final match. Smith, who admitted she was ‘searching’ for her game most of the week leading into Thursday’s play, rallied to win three of the last holes on the front nine to take a 1 up lead and command of the match.

“I didn’t really find my game until today,” Smith admitted. “The greens are quick and the rough was thick – I was all over the place. I knew if I stuck with it, I could make some things happen.”

Smith, who won 7 of the last 9 holes of the match before closing out Eaton 4&3, commented she wished more events were match play – they seem to suit her well.

“You always know you have the next hole (in match play),” Smith said. “I try not to get too down or up emotionally. You can have a blow-up hole and still get the next one. As long as you keep yourself together you can come back.”

With the win, Smith hopes her success will continued into next week’s Iowa Women’s Amateur being held at Elmwood Country Club in Marshalltown.

“I have played there a few times,” Smith said. “They have narrow fairways and lots of trees, so I need to get some work in on the range.”

Click here to view Smith’s post-round interview

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9th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship bracket

Things moved quick at Talons of Tuscany Golf Club in Ankeny on Wednesday as Round of 16 and quarterfinal matches took place in the 9th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship.

Mason City’s Sydney Eaton, who won this event in 2018, did the ‘quickest’ work on Wednesday as she defeated Carroll Dethrow, of Nevada, 6&5 and then dismantled Indianola’s Kelly Grimes 8&7 in the afternoon. Eaton, the #1 seed, will face Onawa’s Samantha Knight, the #5 seed, in the semifinals, who quickly defeated Ila Gilbert 9&8 and then bested Brooke Newell 1 up to move into Thursday’s semifinal.

The other semifinal match will see Indianola’s Leanne Smith, the defending champion, who defeated Margene Grady (7&5) and Nicki Clayton (2&1), face off against Karli Kerrigan, of Ankeny. Kerrigan took down Jan Sewright in the Round of 16 (5&4) and then battled Jordan Amelon, coming out on top after a marathon 22 hole fight in the afternoon. Smith earned the #2 seed as defending champion and Kerrigan earned the #3 seed following stroke play qualifying.

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With the top seven seeds earning byes in the the Round of 32 of the 9th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship, a mix bag of results was the story of the day – some close matches and some lopsided victories at Talons of Tuscany Golf Club in Ankeny.

In the category of nail-biters – Carroll Dethrow (2 up), Ila Gilbert (1 up) and Jan Sewright (1 up) all earned wins into the Round of 16 to be played on Wednesday morning. Meanwhile Kelly Grimes (8&6), Kathy Fortune (9&8), Leighann Larocca (5&4), Margene Grady (8&7), Nicki Clayton (9&8) and Rose Kubesheski (9&7) has less stress to deal with in earning their spot in the Round of 16.

Click here to see Round of 16 matches

Leanne Smith (pictured right) is the 8th IGA Women’s Match Play Champion – but it wasn’t easy. Smith, from Indianola, jumped out to an early 3 up lead through eight holes against Joy Chou, of Ames. Smith would stretch her lead to 4 up through 10 holes and would even be dormie through 16 holes.

That’s when things go interesting, or maybe to Smith a little unsettling. Chou would win holes 16-18 to square the match and send it to extra holes. Fortunately for Smith her birdie putt on the 19th hole found the bottom of the cup and end the match in her favor.

“I was three up to with three to play and had a little four-footer uphill,” Smith said. “I thought I would just slam it in the right side and it moved a little more than I thought it would, so on to the next (hole). Then I got caught in some rough on #17 and left it short. She’s (Chou) is a great player and she capitalized.”

Smith, who defeated Paige Seiser also in 19 holes to reach the finals, also commented that her early success with the putter in final match was key.

“I felt kind of streaky,” Smith said. “I could really see the line. I was just trying to hang in there and not mistakes.”

Smith, who had to win four matches in two days, thought playing an opening round match was helpful.

“I was really nervous in the first couple matches I played,” Smith admitted. “After I got into the finals I could breathe. I think playing in the first round helps me a lot.”

Click here to see a full recap of scoring and match results.

Mason City’s Sydney Eaton (above), a sophomore at the University of Northern Iowa, made the trek south to The Preserve on Rathbun Lake, near Moravia, and left with the trophy from the 7th IGA Women’s Match Play Championship.

Eaton, the #2 seed into match play following a qualifying score of 72 (E), defeated Michelle Klein (9&7) and Karli Kerrigan (19 holes) before dispatching Tenley Moretti in the finals, 3&2.

“I knew coming into this event there was such great competition,” Eaton said. “To win holes, you would have to make birdie. I felt good about all part of my game (coming into this week) and my putting has been as good as ever. I felt really conformable on this course, I never had to really scramble this week.”

Click here for a full recap of the event.