MONTICELLO – Indianapolis’ Julia Potter left little doubt as to the outcome of the 91st Indiana Women’s Golf Association State Amateur Championship. After entering the final round at Tippecanoe Country Club with a three shot lead, Potter fired a course record 29 on the front to take a nine-shot lead heading to the final nine holes. Potter never let up, firing a 37 on the back nine for a new 18-hole course record of 67, a seven-shot victory, and her third Amateur title.

“I don’t think shooting 29 means I wasn’t nervous or didn’t understand what was on the line,” Potter said, just the eighth woman from Indiana to win the State Am three times. “I think I channeled those nerves and made sure every swing I made and every putt I hit were done confidently. Shooting the course record today was not something I expected, but it is definitely an added bonus.”

Potter’s front nine was a true testament to her confidence on the golf course and her ability to keep her composure during competitive rounds. Her nearly flawless day was bogey free until the par-3, 12th where she failed to get up-and-down from the bunker. She was able to follow up her slight mishap with a birdie on 13, maintaining her 4-under-par tournament total.

“This win is really special to me,” said Potter, a Penn High School and University of Missouri graduate. “When I won this event in ’07 and ’08, I was in college and playing golf every day. Now I am working full time and have had a very busy summer. I now have a lot of confidence that I can still score even if I can’t practice as much as I would like to.”

“The State Am has always held a special meaning for me,” Potter said. “There is just something about winning this event that brings me a lot of state pride. The field was tremendous this week and, like always, I love representing Indiana.”

Potter is also an IWGA Match Play Champion (’09), a two-time IWGA Player of the Year (’08, ’09), and the 2013 USGA Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion. She looks to defend her Mid-Am title this year in her home state this September.

Richmond’s Trish Witherby finished in second this afternoon with a tournament total of 3-over-par, 219.

Kari Bellville of Granger tied for fourth place at seven-over, but was one of just five golfers Thursday to shoot under par, at one-under.

Brenna Sherwood of Elkhart tied for 39th and Heather Gladfelter of Goshen tied for 44th. Rounding out the area golfers at the State Am were Lindsey Budnik of North Manchester tied for 60th, Melanie DeGroff of Elkhart and Kinley Lingenfelter of Rochester tied for 65th, and Kinley’s older sisters Karsten and Kovenant Lingenfelter of Rochester tied for 75th.

Final results from the State Am can be found here.