Stasi claims fourth U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur title

• By Will Gray
• Oct 11, 2012 2:14 PM ET

Meghan Stasi defeated Liz Waynick, 6 and 5, to claim the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur title at Briggs Ranch Golf Club in San Antonio, Tex. This marks the fourth time in the last seven years that Stasi has won the event.

Stasi, 34, from Oakland Park, Fla., held a slim 1-up advantage after eight holes in Thursday's final match, but reeled off four straight birdies from holes 9-12 to take command, ultimately winning each of the final five holes of the match.

"Never in my life did I think I'd be here right now," explained Stasi after the match. "It's been truly an incredible seven years."

With the win, she becomes only the 16th person to win the same USGA championship at least four times, joining a list that includes Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan among others. She is the second person to gain entrance into the exclusive club in recent weeks, after Nathan Smith won his fourth career U.S. Mid-Amateur title earlier this summer. Stasi also joins Ellen Port as the only other person to win the Women's Mid-Amateur four times.

Waynick, 52, from Scottsdale, Ariz., found herself consistently outdriven by Stasi, sometimes by as much as 100 yards, and struggled on the greens.

"I feel like some alien invaded my body when I was putting," explained Waynick, the former director of golf at Pumpkin Ridge outside Portland, Ore. "My putts were just horrible."

With the victory Thursday, Stasi secured a 10-year exemption into the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur and a two-year exemption into the U.S. Women's Amateur.