Kristen Gillman, 16, rallies late to US Women's Amateur over Henderson

GLEN COVE, N.Y. – Kristen Gillman rallied to win the U.S. Women's Amateur on Sunday, beat Canada's Brooke Mackenzie Henderson 2 up in the 36-hole final at Nassau Country Club.

 

The 16-year-old Gillman, from Austin, Texas, lost the 25th and 26th to fall 3 down. She won the short, par-4 27th with a birdie, cut it to 1 down with a birdie win on the par-4 30th and pulled even with another birdie win on the par-4 32nd.

 

Gillman took the lead with a birdie win on the par-5 33rd, matched the 16-year-old Henderson with pars on the 34th and 35th holes and took the par-4 18th with a birdie.

 

Gillman, coming off an 11-stroke victory last week in the Junior PGA Championship, is set to attend the University of Alabama in 2016.

 

Henderson, from Smith Falls, Ontario, failed in her bid to become the third Canadian winner in tournament history. Marlene Stewart accomplished the feat in 1956, and Cathy Sherk did it in 1978.