Kate Smith of Detroit Country Club made a 25-foot birdie putt to win a two-hole playoff and the championship of the Minnesota Women's State Open on Wednesday at Southview Country Club.
Smith, a senior at Nebraska, defeated Jasi Acharya (Interlachen) in the playoff. They finished 36 holes tied at 5-over 147. Smith closed with a 72, Acharya a 73.
Smith surprised herself two days in a row, scoring 33 on the back nine. She had opened Tuesday's round with a front-nine 42 and Wednesday's round with a 39.
"Both days, honestly, I was not thinking I was in contention at all, so this one kind of fell in my lap," she said.
Acharya and Smith both parred the first hole of the playoff. On the second, a par-3, Acharya missed the green and chipped 6 feet past the hole before Smith holed her long putt.
Andriel Aimua (Oak Marsh) was low professional after a pair of 74s.
Kathryn VanArragon, the 14-year-old from Blaine who won the Women's State Amateur last week, finished tied for sixth at 7 over after a 74 Wednesday
