Ole Miss senior golfer Kennedy Swann made it to the quarterfinals in the U.S. Women’s Amateur last week. Swann qualfied for the top 64 match play cut after shooting a two-day total of two over par before going on to win her next three matches. Sometimes in match play, you do need a little bit of luck. Although Swann fired a 68 in the final eight match, Michigan State junior Valery Plata didn’t make a single bogey all round. 

“It was probably the best round that I played during the entire tournament,” said Swann. “My assistant coach said it really well. Sometimes especially in match play you need a little bit of luck and I just got a little bit unlucky with who I drew that day because she went out and she did not make a single bogey the entire round, which in match play you count on your opponent at least making one and hopefully you par that hole and you at least get one hole.”

Swann and Plata were neck and neck the entire round. The match was tied up going into the back nine.

“I got it back to all square on 13,” said Swann. “I made a good birdie putt on 13 and then on 15 she made a good birdie putt as well and so she went back to one up and then I missed about a five-foot birdie putt on 16 so that one is probably going to haunt me for a little while.”

Both Swann and Plata were the only final eight competitors to shoot under par, however, Plata beat Swann one up on the 18th hole advancing her to the semi finals. 

“I mean with a 68 on a championship course my coach was saying if either of you would have been paired with any other girl that was in that round of final eight you would have creamed them.”

Swann is hoping the SEC lets Ole Miss play this fall after her spring season was canceled. She had her first indidividual win at Medinah Country Club and was top 15 in every event last fall.

“That was part of the reason I was so disappointed our spring got cancelled was because I felt like that fall something really clicked for me. I really started developing as a player and then to go in and have our spring get cancelled and I feel like it would almost be similar to now because I’m feeling so much more confident coming off the Am.”

Making it to the final eight automatically exempts Swann into the U.S. Amateur next year at Westchester Country Club in Liberty Corner, New Jersey.