Savannah's Mary Miller is bringing another championship trophy back to the 912.
The former Savannah Christian standout and current Ole Miss golfer captured the 124th North & South Women's Amateur Championship at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina, defeating tournament medalist and No. 1 seed Emilia Doran on the 19th hole of the championship match.
It was the final step in a remarkable week for Miller.
If there was any question about whether Miller earned this championship, her path through the bracket answered it.
The No. 26 seed defeated five higher-seeded golfers on her way to the title, including the tournament's No. 1, No. 2, and No. 3 seeds.
That's about as difficult a road to a championship as you'll find in amateur golf.
Entering match play as the No. 26 seed, Miller faced a bracket loaded with some of the best amateur golfers in the country.
She never backed down.
Miller opened match play with a 6-and-4 victory over No. 7 seed Scarlett Schremmer before defeating No. 10 seed Eliana Saga 4-and-3 in the Round of 16.
The competition only got tougher.
She edged No. 2 seed Sarah Lim 2 UP in the quarterfinals and followed with a 2-and-1 victory over No. 3 seed Jie-En Lin in the semifinals.
That set up a championship showdown against Doran, the tournament's top seed and stroke-play medalist.
Doran had not trailed at any point during her march through the bracket, but Miller found a way to get the job done.
The two battled through 18 holes on one of golf's most recognizable courses before Miller secured the title on the first extra hole.
And another championship story for the 912.
Looking back, Miller said she began to believe a championship was possible once she advanced to match play.
"I knew I had a chance once most of the field was cut from 124 down to 32 people for match play," Miller told the Prep Sports Report.
When the match reached the 19th hole, Miller relied on lessons learned from Ole Miss associate head coach Zack Siefert.
"I really focused on what my associate head coach Zack Siefert has taught me, which is staying in position," Miller said. "This helped me stay present and not think about everything around me."
The victory adds another impressive accomplishment to an already outstanding golf career.
Miller enjoyed a standout career at Savannah Christian Preparatory School before continuing her success at Ole Miss, where she earned All-SEC honors and has developed into one of the nation's top collegiate golfers.
Now she has added her name to one of amateur golf's most recognizable walls.
And that's where the story becomes even more special for Savannah.
After the awards ceremony, Miller found herself looking at a familiar name on Pinehurst's Wall of Champions.
Hollis Stacy.
The Savannah native and World Golf Hall of Fame member won the North & South Women's Amateur Championship in 1970 before becoming one of the most accomplished women golfers in the history of the game.
Now another Savannah golfer has joined her.
"After the awards were handed out, I saw the wall of names and where Hollis Stacy's name was, who won in 1970, another Savannah native," Miller said. "Along with her name and all the other great names, I'm speechless that mine will be there with theirs. This means so much to me and my entire support team."
That's pretty special.
More than 50 years after Stacy's name was added to the wall at Pinehurst, another golfer from Savannah has earned her place in tournament history.
For Savannah golf fans, it's another reminder that athletes from the 912 can compete with anyone in the country.
This week at Pinehurst, Mary Miller didn't just compete.
She won!
And now her name will stand alongside another Savannah legend for generations to come.
NOTE: Additional tournament information courtesy of AmateurGolf.com and Pinehurst Resort.
Photo courtesy of Mary Miller's social media pages.
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