In its second year of competition, the Senior Women’s Match Play saw an incredibly strong full field. With the qualifier rained out, the flights were set according to handicaps.
Suzi Spotleson (RiverCrest) and Amy Kennedy (Merion) met in the final match of the Senior Championship Flight. The two were very evenly matched with most of the match at all square, or Kennedy up 1. Kennedy’s largest lead (2 up) came after she won the 13th hole with a birdie. Spotleson came back with a birdie on 14 and won 16 with a par after Kennedy failed to get up and down, going long with her approach. The two were all square going into 18. Spotleson two putted for par. Kennedy had a difficult downhill birdie putt. She left the putt 6 feet short and failed to convert on her downhill sliding par putt, giving Spotleson the 1 up victory.
In the first flight, 11-time Women’s Match Play Champion, Ann Laughlin (Riverton) faced Ruth Averback (Old York Road). Again, this was a very close match, with a lot of lead changes. Laughlin went up 1 after a great up and down on the second hole. Averback birdied the third to get it back to all square. Laughlin won the 7th with a par. The Averback won 8 and 9 to take a 1 up lead to the back 9. Laughlin won 12 with a par to go back to all square. The two traded wins on 13 and 14 to stay all square going into 16. Pars on 16 and 17 were enough for Averback to win both holes and win the match 2 and 1.
In the second flight, Karen McFadden (Overbrook) faced Linda Woolnough (Honeybrook). McFadden got off to a strong start and made the turn with a 3 up lead on Woolnough. Woolnough slowly began to chip away at the lead on the back 9, winning 11 to go 2 down. McFadden won 14 to regain her 3 up lead. Then Woolnough went on a run, winning 15, 16, 17, and 18 to win the match 1 up.
In the third flight, Sue Simpson (Kennett) faced Carol Landgraf (Riverton). Landgraf held the lead for most of the match. Simpson battled back on the back 9 to get it back to all square after 12. Landgraf turned around and won 13 and 14. Then she held on to the 2 up lead through the 17th, winning the match 2 and 1.
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