2007 Senior Women’s Championship

Pictor Captures GSGA Senior Women's Championship by Four

PINE MOUNTAIN, Ga. – Brenda Pictor of Marietta fired a final-round 73 to hold off the field and capture the tenth annual GSGA Senior Women's Championship, which was contested on the Mountain View course at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, August 20-21. Cheryl Grigg of Sea Island fired an 18-hole championship-record 72 in the final round to climb into the runner-up position. Two-time champion, Ginette Spinucci of Stone Mountain, carded a final-round 76 to finish third with a total of 155.

Phyllis Foisy of Statham finished fourth overall at 159 after shooting a final-round 78. Mary Helen McElreath of Augusta and Lawrenceville's Darlene Werhnyak, winner of the first flight, totaled 160 for the championship and took a share of fifth place overall. Tied for seventh at 163 are Maria Johnson of Jesup, defending champion Claudeen Lindberg of Atlanta and Roswell's Tina Zabkar. Liz Butler of Columbus shot a final-round 85 and fell to tenth.

Pictor entered the final round with a three shot advantage but picked up three strokes with birdies on the first and third holes. A bogey on the 164-yard, par-3 fifth hole, followed by four consecutive pars left Pictor making the turn at two-under par. Zabkar and Butler, playing in the final group with Pictor carded 45 and 44, respectively, on the outward nine and fell out of contention.

Pictor posted a bogey on the par-5 11th but recorded her third birdie of the day on the 273-yard 14th. Her only major flaw on the day came at number 17, a 360-yard par-4.

"I had a [double-bogey] there and that was really my only bad hole of the day," Pictor explained of her final round performance. "In golf there are always a couple of holes you wish you could have back and that one was mine. It felt really good to play the way that I did though and I am glad I could come away with the win."

Pictor finished with a par at number 18 and closed the championship with a 148. Her score of four-over-par for the championship matches the lowest 36-hole total in the championship's history. Ena Harvey posted a 148 in the 2005 GSGA Senior Women's Championship, which was contested that year at The Orchard Golf and Country Club in Clarkesville.

 

Other flight winners include June Holder of Columbus (168) in the second flight, Waynesboro's Sandra Moody in flight three at 160, Beaty Maffett of Atlanta carded 165 in the fourth flight, Sandra Lee of Perry in flight five with a 166, Perry's Brenda Duke took flight six with a 178, Midland's Patti Hudspeth and Atlanta's Ann Russell (178) tied for the overall honors in the seventh flight, in the eighth at 191 is Diana Showalter of Clarkston and Linda McDonald of Hawkinsville took honors in the ninth flight with a 192.

The championship through second flights played the course as a par-72 and to approximately 5,470 yards and were eligible for the overall title. The third through ninth flights played the Mountain View course at approximately 5,160 yards.

Entries were open to female amateur golfers who are GSGA members, Georgia residents, and age 50 and above as of August 20. The field of 119 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 365 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 75 73 148
2 Cheryl Grigg, Sea Island 80 72 152
3 Ginette Spinucci, Stone Mountain 79 76 155
4 Phyllis Foisy, Statham 81 78 159
T5 Mary Helen McElreath, Augusta 84 76 160
T5 Darlene Werhnyak, Lawrenceville 80 80 160
T7 Claudeen Lindberg, Atlanta 85 78 163
T7 Maria Johnson, Jesup 84 79 163
T7 Tina Zabkar, Roswell 78 85 163
10 Liz Butler, Columbus 79 85 164