Shelly Haywood of Huntington Beach gave up golf for eight years, but she’s back at it, and in a big way.
The 56-year-old Haywood played through gusty winds at San Luis Obispo Country Club to capture the 46th California Senior Women’s Amateur Championship by five strokes over Lara Tennant of Pebble Beach.
“It feels amazing to win it,” said Haywood, who retired as University of Arizona Women’s Golf Coach in 2010. “The first and second rounds, my ball-striking was fantastic. And I did a great job of staying below the hole, but making putts out here is challenging.
| “I was just out of sorts starting out the final round, but I pulled it back together. Lara doesn’t make many mistakes. I knew if I just kept my head down and played my game, I’d have a good shot to win.” Haywood, the 2022 SCGA Player of the Year after winning the Ladies National Golf Association Women’s Senior Amateur Championship, posted a score of 74-71-77—222, six-over-par, while Tennant, who has won the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur three times and is a member of the Pacific Northwest Golf Assn. Hall of Fame after growing up in Portland, Ore., wound up at 75-79-73—227. Evelyn Orley of Cardiff by the Sea was third at 80-33-78—231, followed by Karen Garcia of Cool at 75-77-81—233, while Sally Krueger of San Francisco shot 81-77-78—236 to tie for fifth with Diane Irvin of Pasadena, who finished at 79-80-77—236, and Itsuko Moridaira of La Quinta, who wound up at 80-79-77—236. Akemi Nakata Khaiat of Los Angeles was eighth at 73-81-84—238, while 2019 champion Corey Weworski of Carlsbad totaled 81-81-78—240 to tie for ninth with 2021 winner Kathy Kurata of Pasadena, who came in at 79-78-83—240. Defending champion Lynn Cowan of Rocklin, who has won this title four times, finished at 82-80-79—241 to tie for 11th, while Marianne Towersey of Pebble Beach, who has captured this event a record seven times, shot 89-79-86—254 to tie for 26th. Krueger claimed the California Women’s Super-Senior Championship with a score of 81-77-78—236, followed by Anna Schultz of Heath, Texas, at 85-83-83—251, and Towersey at 89-79-86—254. Other winners of the California Senior Women’s Amateur Championship include Mildred Stanley, Irene Gotta, Barbara Stephan, Sandy Woodruff, Tina Barker, Sally Tomlinson and Loma Smith, who won the first time it was played in 1979. For complete results, visit: https://calam-2023californiaseniorwomensamateurc.golfgenius.com/pages/9172786505486193646 |
