GREENSBORO, Ga. – Charlotte Perkins had a feeling Sunday might be special. The sophomore golfer, two shots off the lead at the start of the final round, kept her nerves in check, made key putts when it mattered, and emerged as the champion of the Reynolds Lake Oconee Invitational. In a field of 85 competitors, she edged Western Kentucky’s Catie Craig by a single stroke to secure her first collegiate victory.
Staying Steady Under Pressure
Perkins didn’t start the final round with fireworks. Instead, she opened with six straight pars, a steady approach that kept her in contention as others around her faltered. A bogey on her seventh hole briefly set her back, but she responded immediately with a birdie on the next.
She stayed locked in. Another bogey on the fourth hole was offset by a birdie at the seventh. Then came a defining moment: standing over a birdie putt on the 11th hole, she calmly rolled it in to tie for the lead with two holes remaining.
And then came the final putt. A 10-footer on the par-five 13th. No scoreboard-checking. No distractions. Just confidence in her stroke. She drained it. Victory secured.
A Strong Finish for the Owls
While Perkins’ win was the headline, the team as a whole showed improvement across the three rounds. Kennesaw State finished 11th, but there were bright spots beyond Perkins’ performance:
- Freshman Amelia Cobb fired a final-round 74, climbing 11 spots on the leaderboard.
- The team’s overall scoring trend improved each round, a sign of resilience and adjustment to the course conditions.
- Perkins’ 70 (-2) was the second-lowest round of the day, highlighting her ability to perform under tournament pressure.
A Defining Moment for Perkins
For Perkins, this win was more than just a title. It was validation.
“This is everything to me,” she said after the tournament. “Winning a collegiate event was a goal, and to do it in just my second year feels amazing. I couldn’t have done it without Coach and my teammates, and having them cheer me on made it even better.”
Head coach Heather Young was quick to praise her star golfer.
“Charlotte played so solid all weekend. She handled the tough conditions with poise and perseverance. Coming down the stretch, she picked her targets decisively and executed the shots she needed.”
A Mindset That Delivered
Golf is as much mental as it is technical, and Perkins knew that staying composed would be key.
“I tried to keep the same mindset I live by: take it shot by shot and don’t look ahead,” she explained. “It wasn’t easy, but I feel like I handled things mentally better than ever this weekend. And that led to this result.”
Perhaps the most revealing moment came on that final putt. Perkins didn’t even know its significance at the time.
“I wasn’t checking scores, and no one told me anything,” she admitted. “I just knew I wanted to finish strong for myself. But I felt calm over that putt. I’d been rolling it well all day, and I trusted myself to make it. It was awesome to finish like that.”
Looking Ahead
With this breakthrough win, Perkins has set a new standard for herself. The sophomore has shown she can close out tournaments under pressure, and this victory could be a stepping stone for even bigger achievements. As the season unfolds, all eyes will be on her to see if she can build on this momentum and continue her rise in collegiate golf.
