Former Williamsburg golfer Becky Sharpe wins 2015 KY state amateur championship

Becky Sharpe (photo courtesy of Eastern Kentucky University)

Becky Sharpe is no stranger to success on the golf course. As a golfer at Williamsburg she qualified for state competition five years in a row, finishing among the top ten female high school players in Kentucky her sophomore, junior and senior seasons.

A golfer of Sharpe’s caliber was sure to continue her playing career at the collegiate level, which she has done for the past three years as a member of Eastern Kentucky University’s women’s golf program. During that time, she has helped the Colonels secure two Ohio Valley Conference titles, as well as appearances in the NCAA tournament.

Sharpe has been invaluable to both her high school and college golf teams over the years, but last week she was able to gain her most prestigious individual title to date when she became the champion of the 2015 Kentucky State Women’s Amateur Tournament.

This annual tournament has been in existence since 1923, and the championship trophy has been hoisted by some of the greatest golfers the state of Kentucky has ever produced. Among those names include six-time champion Marion Miley, and two-time champion Myra Blackwelder (formerly Myra Van Hoose), who was actually Sharpe’s first-ever golf coach several years ago.

Sharpe can now add her own name to that long list of current and former greats to win a state amateur title, and she could not be happier about that fact. “This is a very prestigious event to win,” she said. “A lot of really good players throughout the state have won it. I have played in this tournament for six years, but this is the first time that I could make it to the finals.”

When asked about her feelings going into the finals of the tournament, she said, “It was nerve wracking to play in the final match. I didn’t sleep very well the night before.”

Sharpe was able to overcome her nerves to defeat Ellen Kehoe 4 & 3, however, giving her the state championship title that she has worked so hard to attain. Kehoe, a very talented golfer in her own right, will be competing for the University of Louisville later this year.

As for what allowed Sharpe to come out on top of the 2015 State Amateur Tournament, she said that she has made some adjustments to her game recently that she feels ended up being crucial to her championship performance last week.

“I completely overhauled my putting last summer,” she explained. “And that was really what helped me win. I made a lot of putts, and I think that was a difference maker.”

Mike Whitson, Sharpe’s head coach at Eastern, was in Danville last Friday to witness his star player’s historic victory. When asked about the experience, he said, “We’re all certainly proud of Becky. Any time a player can put their name on a trophy with history dating back to the 1920’s, it’s big.”

“This is the culmination of a lot of hard work,” Whitson continued. “And this couldn’t have happened to a better player and person. We at EKU are very proud of her accomplishment.”

Whitson described Sharpe as a leader both “on and off the course,” and he said that she has played a major role in bringing the EKU women’s golf program to the next level.

Despite her already stellar record, Whitson said that Sharpe is continuing to grow as a golfer, and he expects to see more big things from her over the course of the next year.

Sharpe’s high school coach and father, Jeff Sharpe, was obviously elated after seeing his daughter claim such a high honor. “A lot of really talented women have won this tournament,” he said. “There are several names on the trophy of professional golfers. For my daughter to now have her name on there is really special.”

“I’ve always been really proud of her,” Sharpe continued. “She always works hard to do her best. I’m most proud of her work ethic. Golf is a hard sport to play. It takes a lot of hard work and patience.”

As for what comes next for Sharpe, she has a busy summer ahead of her. Before she returns to Richmond to begin her senior year at Eastern this fall, she is slated to take part in more high-profile golf tournaments both in and around the state of Kentucky. On July 9-10 she will be competing in the Marion Miley Tournament in Lexington, she will be playing in the Kentucky Women’s Open in Louisville on July 14-15, and she will be in Georgia for the US Women’s Amateur one-day qualifier on July 20.

The News Journal will provide updates on Sharpe’s progression throughout the summer and fall seasons as those details become available.

To find out more about the EKU women’s golf team, as well as all other Colonel athletics, go to ekusports.com.