Event: 76th North Carolina Women’s Amateur

Host Site: Cutter Creek GC, Snow Hill, N.C

Playing Dates: June 10-12, 2025

Social Media: @CGAgolf1909

Related: Championship Website | Scoring | Photos

By Mae O'Neill, CGA Intern

SNOW HILL, N.C (June 13, 2025) -- After three long and humid rounds at Cutter Creek Golf Club in Snow Hill, N.C, Samantha Whateley of Charlotte, N.C was named the 76th North Carolina Women’s Amateur Champion.

Whateley shot scores of 71-71-66 to finish at 8-under 208 total for the Championship to win by two shots after some major changes in the leaderboard at the start of round 3.

Juno Taino of Pinehurst, N.C ended the first round in the lead after making 9 birdies in route to a 6-under, 66. Ellie Hildreth of Wrightsville Beach, N.C held solo second place at 3-under, 69, while Whateley and Sara Adams of Whispering Pines, N.C. rounded out the top four spots on the leaderboard at T3 after both shooting a 1-under, 71 their first round.

Round 2 differed very little from the first, as Taino again had a standout round: bogey free and sitting at a five-under par through the first 13 holes, she appeared to be unstoppable. She finished the day with a five-stroke lead at an 8-under, 136 through the first 36 holes. However, she struggled entering the final round after going double bogey, triple bogey and double bogey on holes No. 4, 5, and 6. This closed the gap on the leaderboard and allowed Hildreth and Whateley, along with Sophie Lauture of Concord, N.C., to move into the first place position. All three were tied atop the leaderboard at four-under as they approached the 9th hole of their final round.

Whateley and Hildreth continued to battle it out on the back nine, with Whateley taking a one-shot lead after a birdie on No. 10 and eventually, a two-shot lead after a birdie on No. 16. A bogey on No. 17 left it at a one-stroke margin on the 18th tee, but Whateley’s approach shot to the 18th green left her within three feet of the pin, after everyone else in her group fell short of the green.

“I knew that I had a one stroke lead and that a birdie would win, but I wasn’t trying to force that part because I knew a par might be okay,” Whateley recounts. Sure enough, her tap-in birdie secured her the win.

“Overall I was just trying to stay consistent,” she says. “[My goal was to] hit fairways, hit greens, and if the putts go in, they go in. I think I had a little bit of an aggressive mindset going into today, but I was still just trying to play and have fun.”

With her win at Cutter Creek, Whateley has also earned an exemption into the USGA U.S. Women’s Amateur at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Oregon in August of this year.

The Carolinas Golf Association extends its appreciation to the staff and membership of Cutter Creek Golf Club for their support and hospitality throughout the week. Special thanks to Superintendent Nick Gibson, Head Golf Professional Mike Wesko, PGA, and the entire team and staff for helping host the 21st Senior and 3rd Super Senior Women’s Amateur Championships.