CINCINNATI – Vidhi Lakhawala capped a commanding week at Maketewah Country Club with a 1-up victory over Kara An on Friday afternoon to win the 98th Women’s Western Junior Championship.

The 17-year-old from Kendall Park, New Jersey, dominated once the tournament switched from stroke play to match play. Lakhawala didn’t allow an opponent to reach the 17th hole in her three matches leading up to the final and only trailed for four total holes over four matches.

“This was a really great experience for future tournaments, as well as getting ready for college,” said Lakhawala, a Wake Forest commit. “Everything about my game felt right, I was playing really consistent golf.”

As dominant as Lakhawala had been, the final match – played in humid, rainy conditions – went the distance.

With Lakhawala holding a 1-up lead on the tee of the par-3 18th, both players paused under umbrellas with their caddies. An played first on the 137-yard hole, her tee shot flying over the green and into the rough, leaving a tough chip. Lakhawala let go of her club with one hand as she hit her tee shot, but the ball settled six feet from the hole, drawing a big applause from the gallery.

When An’s chip ran past the hole, Lakhawala calmly two-putted to seal the title.

“Once I hit my tee shot on 18, I was able to take a sigh of relief,” said Lakhawala, who entered the week No. 48 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings. “Other than that, it was a super-competitive match the entire way. I had to keep the momentum going.”

Lakhawala started her day by defeating 28th-ranked Ryleigh Knaub of DeBary, Florida, 5 and 4. Lakhawala was 5-up through 11 holes and sealed the win with a birdie on the par-5 14th.

That set up a championship match between Lakhawala and An, a Valencia, California native, who celebrated her 16th birthday on Sunday and is ranked No. 175.

An advanced to the final after a 3 and 2 semifinal win over Ryan Donaldson, of McAlpin, Florida. After falling 2-down after the first three holes, An rallied with four straight wins to take a 2-up lead – an edge she held the rest of the way.

The final match remained all square through seven holes, delivering the showdown fans at Maketewah Country Club expected as the two top juniors went head-to-head.

Lakhawala struck first, winning Nos. 8 and 9 to take a 2-up lead. An answered with a win on No. 10, but Lakhawala responded by taking No. 13. An bounced back again on No. 14, setting up a thrilling finish with Lakhawala holding a narrow 1-up advantage.

On the par-4 16th, Lakhawala found the right side of the fairway, while An striped her drive down the middle. Lakhawala hit the center of the green from 110 yards; An followed from 100 yards with a matching approach. Both had quick, downhill birdie looks. An’s putt slid just past the hole, and she tapped in for par. Lakhawala came even closer, her putt stopping just short. With no change in score, they headed to the 17th tee, Lakhawala still 1-up.

Both players found the fairway on the 17th, setting up solid looks into a green guarded by bunkers. With the pin tucked in the front, both hit the green. Lakhawala had a 15-foot birdie putt to win the match but left it short. When An missed her five-footer for birdie they moved on to the 18th hole, where Lakhawala clinched the title.

An stayed optimistic after the match. By making the final, she and Lakhawala both earned exemptions into the Women’s Western Amateur at Red Run Golf Club near Detroit in July.

“I’m pretty happy, I didn’t expect to make it this far,” An said. “Just getting past stroke-play was my goal, so getting to the final match was way beyond my expectations. I’m really happy with how I played this week. I learned a lot, playing against some good juniors this week. It was a great experience.”

Lakhawala joins past champions including Candie Kung (1998), Cristie Kerr (1994), Grace Park (1993) and Nancy Lopez (1972-74).

With her win, she also earned a sponsor exemption into the Kroger Queen City Championship presented by P&G, an LPGA Tour event taking place September 11-14 at TPC River’s Bend in Maineville, Ohio. The 144-player field will include LPGA stars such as Nelly Korda, Haeran Ryu, Lydia Ko and Jeeno Thitikul.

“It is such an honor to have the opportunity to tee it up with the professionals,” Lakhawala said. “I’m super excited for the opportunity.”

Match Play Results

Round of 16
Ryleigh Knaub, DeBary, Florida, def. Isabel Emanuels, Austin, Texas, 3 and 1
Alli Wiertel, Oswego, Illinois, def. Sehee Sim, San Diego, California, 4 and 3
Vidhi Lakhawala, Kendall Park, NJ, def. Martha Kuwahara, Northbrook, Illinois, 3 and 2
Alisa Davidova, Roanoke, Virginia, def. Lucy Cook, West Point, Mississippi, 1 up
Kara An, Valencia, California, def. Eliza Yelverton, West Point, Mississippi, 4 and 3
Catherine Andino, Boca Raton, Florida, def. Kathryn DeLoach, 5 and 4
Ryan Donaldson, McAlpin, Florida, def. Addison Surber, Montgomery, Texas, 4 and 3
Trinity Beth, Calvert City, Kentucky, def. Taylor Snively, Zionsville, Indiana, 6 and 4

Quarterfinals
Knaub def. Wiertel, 20 holes
Lakhawala def. Davidova, 5 and 4
An def. Andino, 2 up
Donaldson def. Beth, 19 holes

Semifinal
Lakhawala def. Knaub, 5 and 4
An def. Donaldson, 3 and 2

Final
Lakhawala def. An, 1 up