NSU golfer qualifies for U.S. Women’s Amateur

Jamie Freedman is on a roll.

Over the past month, the 21-year-old from Miami Beach finished second in the Florida State Golf Association Women’s Amateur Championship in St. Augustine, losing the championship match on the 19th hole, and tied for second, one shot behind the winner, in the FSGA Women’s Amateur Stroke Play Championship in Sarasota.

This past Thursday, Freedman, who is going into her senior season on the golf team at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, qualified for the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship at Quail Ridge Country Club in Boynton Beach.

“I’ve tried to qualify before, definitely two years, maybe three years, and I missed by one before,” Freedman said after tying for medalist honors with three others at 1-under-par 71. “My game was good. I had four birdies, three bogeys and shot 1 under on the back nine. I birdied three of my last five holes, actually.”

Charges like that have been the hallmarks of Freedman’s recent play.

In the state amateur, she birdied the 18th hole to send the final match into overtime. At the amateur stroke play tournament, where she shot 71-78-73-222, Freedman was 1 under on her final nine holes to move up into second.

“I’ve been practicing hard in the spring and in the summer and it’s coming together now,” said Freedman, who practices five to seven days a week depending on her schedule. She also plays matches with friends.

At Quail Ridge, she was one of 48 golfers playing for four qualifying spots and two alternate spots in the Amateur, which is Aug. 7-13 at San Diego Country Club in California.

Quail Ridge’s South course had endured heavy rains on Wednesday, but the golfers played under dry, mostly sunny skies on Thursday.

“The course was a little bit wet, but in really great shape,” Freedman said. “It was pretty long, so I just tried to stick with fairways and greens the whole way, get my birdies when I can and just play tough.”

tough and smart is a big part of the 5-foot-tall Freedman’s game.

At NSU, Freedman helped the Sharks to their fifth Sunshine State Conference Championship, which was one of the team’s three tournament victories this past season.

She also has excelled in the classroom: She’s a three-time Women’s Golf Coaches Association AllAmerican Scholar, which requires a minimum GPA of 3.5.

Freedman also was a high honors student while playing golf at American Heritage. The Plantation school won the state championship her senior season, finished second twice and fourth her freshman year, and she was the district champion as a senior.

“She’s just an awesome kid,” said Heritage coach Brandt Moser. “Jamie is just steady. She’s smart. Before she tees off, she cuts the hole in half and she puts herself in position to be able to hit her favorite clubs.

“And there’s no quit in her. She’s going to fight you until you sign the scorecard.” round 72 to tie for ninth at 229 along with

of Weston and four others.

of Davie tied for 15th at 230.

Antonio Claudia De Brooke Benedetto Casey Weidenfeld

of Pembroke Pines, who plays for American Heritage, tied for second with a 70 at Hobe Sound Golf Club to qualify for the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship.

of Parkland birdied the 18th hole to shoot 71 and get into a playoff for the final qualifying spot with of Delray Beach and

of Miami. Roberts won the playoff, Shukow was the first alternate and Beber-Frankel the second alternate for the tournament, which is July 24-29 at Boone Valley Golf Club in Augusta, Mo.

Taylor Roberts Andie Shukow Phoebe Beber-Frankel

Freedman