Strong thunderstorms, flash flood warnings and tornado watches caused multiple weather delays and extremely wet course conditions at the Indiana Women’s Golf Association Match Play Championship at Harbour Trees Golf Course in Noblesville June 2-4, 2008.

Despite the long days and multiple breaks in play, Aimee Neff of Carmel maintained focus through qualifying and four matches to take the title.

Neff shot a 1-over-par 72 in the first day of stroke play qualifying to have the #1 seed for the second year in a row. In 2007, she lost to Lynnsey Showers of Kokomo in the Semi-finals. She came back this year to avenge her defeat and beat former Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory High School teammate Sophie Hayashi of Carmel in the Semi-finals 3 and 2. To advance to that round she defeated 16th-seeded Julia Porter of Monrovia 6 and 4 in the Round of 16 and eighth-seeded Angela Gauck of Greensburg 4 and 2 in the Round of 8. For the win, she triumphed over sixth-seeded Milena Savich of Carmel 2 and 1 in the Finals.

The first hole of the championship match was halved, but after Neff went 1 up over Savich on the second hole, she never lost the lead nor did she allow it to even return to all square. On the 510-yard, par-5 hole 2, Neff hit a wedge to 10 feet and made the birdie putt to go 1 up over Savich’s par. She went 2 up on the third hole after making another birdie putt. A putt from the fringe on hole 4 was left short, and two more putts left her with a bogey to take her back to 1 up. She recovered with an up and down par on the sixth hole to get back to 2 up. Savich fought back with a birdie on hole 7, but Neff matched it with a 15-foot birdie putt on the 125-yard, par 3 eighth. Neff’s biggest lead of 3 up came at the turn after Savich planted an approach into the greenside bunker and flew the sand shot past the hole to bogey.

Savich won the first two holes on the back nine to make it a tight match, but was never able to bring it back to all square. The two players halved three consecutive holes on 12, 13 and 14. On the par 4 15th hole, Neff put her approach in the bunker, and Savich landed hers just short of the green on the fringe. However, an up and down from the sand by Neff and three putts by Savich took Neff back to 2 up. Hole 16 was halved which made Neff dormie 2, and she finalized the match on 17 with a great punch shot from the trees onto the green to par, halve the hole, and win 2 and 1.

Defending champion Kristi Piepenbrink lost in the Round of 8 to the second-seed Rachael Pruett of Linton 4 and 2. Pruett made it to the final four and lost to Savich 4 and 3.

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