2009 Senior Women’s Championship

Pictor Captures Second GSGA Senior Women's Title

ELBERTON, Ga. – Brenda Pictor of Marietta posted a 76 in the final round to hold off a charging field and capture the 12th annual GSGA Senior Women's Championship, which was played at Arrowhead Pointe at Richard B. Russell State Park in Elberton, September 1-2. Cumming's Patti Huxford, who entered the final day four shots behind Pictor, fired a three-over 75 but ended falling three shots shy of the champion's pace.

Mary Riley of Perry climbed into third place overall at 160 after carding a final-round 73, the lowest 18-hole score of the event. Mary Helen McElreath of Augusta finished fourth after shooting 82 and 79, for a tournament total of 161. Chatsworth's Sue King improved on her first-round score of 85 with a final-round 80 – good for fifth position. Two-time past champion Ginette Spinucci of Stone Mountain posted two rounds of 83 and finished tied for sixth with first-flight winner Liz Butler of Greensboro at 166. Four players tied for eighth at 167. They are defending champion Darlene Werhnyak of Lawrenceville, Lee Burton of St. Simons Island, Greensboro's Ena Harvey and Jodie Shepard of Newnan.

Pictor, whose first GSGA Senior Women's title came in 2007, entered the final round with a four-shot advantage. Pictor posted a double-bogey on the par-5 16th hole and a bogey on the 18th but had a sizeable enough lead to hold onto the victory.

Other flight winners include Betsy Butler of Atlanta (170) in the second flight, Macon's Barbara Stuart in flight three at 177, Atlanta's Nancy Freeman carded 168 in the fourth flight, Mal Elder of Athens in flight five with a 180, Julie Hebert of Marietta took flight six with a 184, Gwen Creswell of Americus (195) took the overall honors in the seventh flight, in the eighth at 198 is Bogart's Ann Kohler and Rose Mary Dixon of Bainbridge took honors in the ninth flight with a 201.

The championship through third flights played the course as a par-72 and to approximately 5,659 yards and were eligible for the overall title. The fourth through ninth flights played the course at approximately 5,337 yards.

Entries were open to female amateur golfers who are GSGA members, Georgia residents, and age 50 and above as of September 1. The field of 118 was divided into flights based on handicap index.

Founded in 1916, the Georgia State Golf Association (GSGA) received its official charter on June 24, 1924. Since that date, the GSGA has grown to one of the largest state amateur golf associations in the country, with over 355 member clubs and 85,000 individual members. With a mission to promote and preserve amateur golf in the state of Georgia, GSGA offers a computerized handicapping service, course rating and measuring, and annually conducts a full schedule of statewide competitions for men and women of all age groups. Other services include a summer-long junior sectional program, award-winning Golf Georgia magazine, membership recognition and rewards programs and a charitable foundation administering two college scholarship programs.

Final Results

Top Ten Overall
1 Brenda Pictor, Marietta 78 76 154
2 Patti Huxford, Cumming 82 75 157
3 Mary Riley, Perry 87 73 160
4 Mary Helen McElreath, Augusta 82 79 161
5 Sue King, Chatsworth 85 80 165
T6 Ginette Spinucci, Stone Mountain 83 83 166
T6 Liz Butler, Greensboro 87 79 166
T8 Darlene Werhnyak, Lawrenceville 84 83 167
T8 Lee Burton, St. Simons Island 85 82 167
T8 Ena Harvey, Greensboro 87 80 167
T8 Jodie Shepard, Newnan 85 82 167