KENNEBUNK — It didn’t take long for Jordan Laplume to realize Wednesday was going to be a good day. The second hole, actually.

Coming off an opening bogey, Laplume sank a 30-foot putt for a birdie, jump-starting her to a runaway victory at the 2019 Maine Women’s Amateur at Webhannet Golf Club.

Laplume, an 18-year-old from Old Orchard Beach, sank six birdies en route to a 3-under par 69 to win the tournament by eight strokes over first-round leader Carrie Langevin. Laplume shot a 143 in the two-day tournament, shortened by one round when Tuesday’s play was rained out.

“This is just unbelievable, it still hasn’t set in yet,” said Laplume, 45 minutes after she finished her day by sinking a 30-foot birdie putt on 18. “I just can’t believe it. I’ve never shot that low in a tournament. It just kept flowing today. It felt so good.”

Langevin, who entered the final round with a one-stroke lead over Laplume and Kristin Kannegieser, shot a 6-over par 78 on Wednesday.

“Jordan was on fire,” said the 53-year-old Langevin. “It was a thing of beauty to watch. I was in awe of how she played. It was beautiful.”

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Laplume, who plays out of Dunegrass Golf Club and graduated from Thornton Academy, said the par-4 second hole was the most important one in her final round. She had bogeyed the first three holes in the first round and, after bogeying the first hole on Wednesday, knew she had to regroup.

She was on the green in two shots and pushed the 30-footer from the fringe into the hole for a birdie.

“It really kick-started my round,” said Laplume. “I needed to turn it around. I really focused, (bore) down and got the birdie to get it back.”

Laplume took the lead for good on the par-4 seventh hole – she parred the hole and Langevin bogeyed it – and then methodically pulled away.

She held that one-stroke lead at the turn, then quickly expanded it. Laplume shot a birdie on the par-5 10th to pick up one stroke. Then Langevin double-bogeyed the par-3 11th, missing two short putts. She knew then she was in trouble.

“That plays a little bit with your confidence when you miss a short putt like that,” said Langevin. “You lose momentum a little bit.”

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And Laplume was just getting started. She finished with three birdies in the last four holes.

“It was her time,” said Langevin. “She came so close last year.”

Laplume, who will be a sophomore at Merrimack College in the fall, lost to Bailey Plourde by three strokes last year after entering the final round with a one-stroke lead. She finished third in 2017.

“I felt like this year was going to be my year,” Laplume said.

When the round was over, she gave her caddy, twin brother Jake, a big hug and then waited for her mother, Lisa, and father, George, to join them for hugs. “Their support means everything to me,” said Laplume. “It really motivates me to never, ever give up.”

She credited Jake Laplume with making some pivotal reads on the greens that helped her with her putting. Jake, however, said it was entirely her accomplishment. “I tried to give my sister the best chance to win,” he said. “But I was just there. She did it. It was all her.”

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“It’s an absolute dream come true,” said Jordan Laplume. “I worked so hard for this and it all paid off.”

At the awards ceremony, the Maine State Golf Association held a moment of silence for Martha White, a 13-time state champion who was one of the pioneers of the sport in Maine. She died Monday at age 76.

Kannegieser, who finished third with a two-day 156, struggled to an 82 on Wednesday. Kannegieser was very close to White, saying she taught her not only how to play the game, but how to respect it.

White was clearly in her thoughts in the final round.

“With every shot,” said Kannegieser. “I kept asking her to help me. She was such an inspiration.”


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