South Carolina Takes the Stephens Cup as Wake Forest’s Stroke-Play Edge Disappears

South Carolina flipped the script on Wake Forest when the format changed, winning the Jackson T. Stephens Cup championship after finishing two shots behind the Demon Deacons in stroke play. The Gamecocks took the first three matches that reached the clubhouse, enough to secure the title before Wake Forest could find an answer at the back of the lineup. Australian freshman Amelia Harris delivered the first major swing by beating co-medalist Macy Pate 1 up, and fellow Australian Molly McLean followed with a 3&1 win over Benedicte Brent-Petersen before Vairana Heck overwhelmed Havanna Torstensson 6&4 to finish the job.

The biggest surprise still came right at the top. Pate entered match play as co-medalist and the player Wake Forest seemed most able to trust for an early point, but Harris handled the moment like anything but a freshman. The 18-year-old Australian had already finished tied for sixth in stroke play for her first collegiate top-10, then controlled much of the match against Pate and twice reached 2 up before the Wake Forest senior fought back. They arrived at the 18th with everything still alive, both made par, and Harris walked away with the 1-up win that gave South Carolina exactly the point Wake Forest had expected to own.