BLYTHEWOOD — For the sixth time in seven years, Cobblestone Park Golf Course served as the backdrop for some of the region’s most competitive golf as four champions were crowned at the 2026 South Carolina Women’s Open this past weekend.
Ami Gianchandani of Barnwell captured the Women’s Open Professional title with a masterful performance, finishing 8-under-par for the three-day event. Her consistent rounds of 68, 68, and 69 resulted in a 205 total, leaving her 10 strokes ahead of runner-up Jensen Castle. Gianchandani’s win secured her a $4,200 winner’s purse.
While national champions Ami Gianchandani and Isabel McMahon headlined the professional and amateur leaderboards, the weekend also showcased a well of local talent, with four Blythewood residents securing top-10 finishes in their respective divisions.
In the Senior Professional division, Yvonne Cox-Holmes of Virginia delivered the performance of the tournament on Saturday, carding a 7-under-par 65. She finished at 8-under-par with a 134 total to secure a six-stroke victory and the $4,050 top prize over Moira Dunn-Bohls.
The amateur titles were both decided by high-stakes playoffs. In the Women’s Open Amateur division, Isabel McMahon of Beaufort and Audrey Ryu of Ohio both finished regulation at 3-over-par with matching totals of 216. McMahon ultimately outlasted Ryu on the fourth playoff hole to claim the championship. The Senior Amateur title followed a similar script, as Nicki Stricker of Wisconsin defeated Simpsonville’s Lea Venable on the first hole of a sudden-death playoff after both finished the two-day tournament at 14-over-par.
Blythewood was well-represented on the Senior Amateur leaderboard by Catherine Shealy. A former champion who captured the division title in 2023, Shealy proved her consistency on her home course by firing back-to-back rounds of 79. Her 16-over-par total earned her a solo third-place finish, just two strokes out of the playoff.
The Women’s Open Amateur division featured a trio of local residents who all placed in the top 10. Ella Stalvey, a 2023 Blythewood High graduate and the 2023 Amateur tournament champion, led the local group. Now a senior at East Carolina University, Stalvey fired an opening-round 73 and finished in sixth place with a three-day total of 229.
Twelve-year-old rising star Brady Wolfe finished a mere one stroke behind Stalvey in the amateur standings. Wolfe, who is currently ranked fifth nationally in the Class of 2032, carded a 230 total with rounds of 78, 74, and 78 to secure a seventh-place finish. Rounding out the local top-10 presence was Kylie Smith, a standout senior at Gray Collegiate Academy. Smith’s three-day total of 233 earned her ninth place in the state-wide field.
The four-day event, which opened with a Pro-Am on Thursday and featured entertainment by Trick Pony founder Keith Burns, continues to be a premier stop on the South Carolina golf calendar. Course officials at Cobblestone Park described the weekend as an “incredible” display of golf, noting that despite high temperatures, the competition remained “even hotter.”
“The competition has been incredible, and it’s been such a pleasure watching these talented ladies showcase their game.”
