by Les Dixon / Sports Editor
Williamsburg sophomore Becky Sharpe came close to winning the Leachman/KHSAA girls state championship, but shot a 12-over par and finished in sixth place, 12 shots behind Sacred Heart’s Lindsay Graham (five-over par), who was declared the winner after defending state champion Emma Talley admitted a mistake that she made on her scorecard after finishing the tournament shooting an impressive 144, five shots better than Graham.
Talley bogeyed the final hole hole but put a par down on her scorecard. She then went to the tournament officials and pointed out her error.
Under the rules of golf, she had to be disqualified.
If Talley had corrected her scorecard before signing it, she would have shot a 73 and won the tournament for the second straight year.
Williamsburg’s Sharpe entered Sunday tied for second place with North Hardin’s Lydia Gumm after shooting five-over par on Saturday. Talley was the low individual by shooting a one-under 71 and led by six strokes going to Sunday.
Green County won its first-ever title by rallying on Sunday and defeating Sacred Heart, who was looking for its sixth state championship.
Williamsburg’s Kaylee Akins (19-over par) and Whitley County’s Courtney Bishop (22-over par) didn’t make the final cut on Saturday.