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PASS CHRISTIAN, Miss. — Rising Piedmont University (Georgia) senior, Erin Donovan went into the 2025 Mississippi Women’s State Amateur with one goal; win.

Now, that can be said for every player in the field of any championship. Why show up if you’re not there to win, right? That can be true, but for Donovan, it wasn’t just earned. It was manifested.

The standout from Southaven started the week hot at the Oaks Golf Club. She was the only player in the championship division to score in red numbers in round one. Her 2-under, 70 was stress-free sans a bogey on hole Nos. 6 and 18. The round gave her a six-stroke lead over the field as the event turned its attention to Wednesday’s second round.

Round two wasn’t as kind to Donovan, at least early on. Four bogeys on the front nine had her look human. While perhaps not stressed, Donovan was slightly frustrated with every birdie or par putt that slid by the hole. Able to catch her breath a bit on the back nine, Donovan slipped yet again with a double-bogey on the par-4 16th. A second round 76 was enough to not just maintain, but grow her lead to eight shots. But with a slew of young(er) talent behind her, Donovan knew she still had work to do.

“I just had to keep reminding myself that it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” Donovan told the MGA. “I had an eight-shot lead going into today [the final round], I’m not going to lie and say that that wasn’t on my mind.”

Playing with a lead, big or small, is not easy. Whether it be nerves, pressure or even be too comfortable, Donovan demonstrated just how tough it is to close out a state championship.

Three bogeys began her day on Thursday’s final round. Donovan quickly saw her eight-shot lead dwindle down to just five shots with plenty of golf to go.

Hopping off the bogey train, Donovan birdied the par-4 4th to catch her breath. Out in 40 (+4), she made the turn, maintaining a five-shot advantage over Hattiesburg native and rising star, Addison Hammett.

Relying on her self-built lead over the first 36 holes, Donovan was able to coast down the stretch with a final round 77 to win her first MGA Championship by six shots.

“It means a lot,” Donovan said following the win. “I actually sat down in a meeting with our character coach at school a couple of month ago and this was one of my year-long goals. In 365 days, I wanted the Mississippi State Women’s Am. This is huge for me, I’ve actually never won a Mississippi Golf [Association] golf tournament in the seven years I’ve played here.”

The win sets Donovan up for one last hurrah at Piedmont. In her three seasons for the Lions, she has accrued five low medalist honors, USA South Rookie of the Year (2023), USA South Player of the Year (2024), WGCA All-Region (2023), USA South All-Academic Team (2024) and took home USA South’s individual conference title in 2024. She also holds three season records within the Lions’ program.