Abigail McWilliams, a 2025 Benton graduate, came very close to successfully defending her Louisiana Women’s Amateur title Sunday in Alexandria.
McWilliams faced 15-year-old Jade Nevis, the reigning Louisiana Junior Girls’ champion, in the final round of match play at Oak Wing Golf Course.
McWilliams and Nevis were even through 13 holes. Nevis won No. 14 to go 1-up.
After the players halved No. 15, Nevis won No. 16 and No. 17 with birdies to take the match and the title.
McWilliams, 17, and teammate Grace Goodwin teamed to win Division I state championships at Benton in 2024 and 2025.
Nevis is a rising sophomore at Sacred Heart of New Orleans. She was the medalist in the Division II championship in May and helped her team win the title.
In the championship match, McWilliams lost the first hole then won the next three to go 2 up. But Nevis won three of the last four holes on the front nine to regain the lead at 1 up.
McWilliams went into match play as the No. 3 seed after shooting a 76 in stroke play Friday. She finished two strokes behind Nevis and Shannon Hudson of Vinton.
McWilliams defeated No. 6 seed Julie Harrison of Baton Rouge 2-up in the quarterfinals.
She defeated No. 2 seed Hudson 2-and-1 in the semifinals, breaking a tie with a birdie at No. 16 and closing out the match with a birdie at No. 17.
It’s been a good June for the McWilliams’ family. Abigail’s brother Noah, a former Benton star and current LSU golfer, finished third in the Louisiana Amateur Championship, just one stroke out of a playoff.