By Staff
June 21, 2001
HATTIESBURG, Miss. (AP) Cissye Gallagher needed a sensational shot on the final hole Wednesday to defeat 15-year-old Katherine Jones 1-up in the semifinals of the Women's State Amateur championships.
Gallagher's second shot on the 400-yard No. 18 was a 150-yard laser beam that stopped four feet from the hole.
After Jones missed a 35-foot birdie putt, she conceded the hole and the match to Gallagher.
It really was just a miracle,'' said the eight-time champ from Greenwood.
Jones had tied the match by dropping in a 15-foot birdie putt on 17.
Gallagher will face defending champion Pam Posey of Meridian in Thursday's Championship Flight finals at Canebrake Golf Club. Posey defeated Sissy Kern of Madison 1-up.
Posey rallied from two holes down with three to play to tie her semifinal match in regulation, then won the first playoff hole to advance.
Kern had eliminated nine-time champ Lou Hart in the semifinals earlier in the day, 5 and 3.
The championship will be a rematch of last year's final at Natchez.