Whitney Brown is a two-time CDGNC champion. Photo: Conrad Meyer / PDGA

On the drive over from Arkansas, Whitney Brown was nervous.

That’s because she had a title to defend at the College Disc Golf National Championship against a bigger and stronger field.

After a nail-biting finish and a playoff, Brown, representing Southern Arkansas University, will make the drive back home with more hardware.

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Whitney Brown putts on the River Run course at North Cove Disc Golf Club. Photo: Conrad Meyer / PDGA

One stroke back of the lead entering the Women’s Individual finals on Thursday at North Cove Disc Golf Club in Marion, North Carolina, Brown played steady throughout the final 18 and then took home her second-straight title in a sudden-death playoff on the first hole.

“This year on the drive up here, honestly, I was nervous,” Brown said. “I’m so glad that it’s growing. I’m so glad that we have 32 girls and I hope we have more next year. I was thinking that I can’t come in and then at not least be up there (on the leader board).

“The feeling is amazing. I love playing for and representing my school as well as being out here with everyone else playing to represent their school. It’s just unreal.”

There were a few players in contention coming down the stretch on the River Run track.

Rebecca Minnick lines up a shot during the Women's Singles Finals on Thursday. Photo: Conrad Meyer / PDGA

Rebecca Minnick, of Virginia Tech, matched the hot round of the singles event with a 60 to force the playoff. Ferris State’s Tianna Halfaday finished one stroke back, just ahead of teammate Rachel Dupre and Missouri’s Alexis Kerman.

Brown hit a clutch par-saving putt on 17 before her drive on 18 sailed long into the OB, which set up a tie and a playoff with Minnick, who had birdied her final hole and watched.

But a clutch shot from Brown on the first hole of the playoff set up an easy tap-in putt to seal her second-straight national title.

Women’s action shifts back to the team event on Friday. The Missouri team of Kerman and Renae Beasley leads the Ferris State duo of Halfaday and Dupre by 10 strokes as the field heads for their first trip through the Boulders course.

At the CDGNC, a team’s singles score are averaged and added to the overall team standings.