2003 Senior Women’s Championship

Claudeen Lindberg Takes Senior Women's Championship in Playoff

ROME, Ga. - Claudeen Lindberg of Atlanta defeated Ena Harvey of Greensboro in a one-hole, sudden-death playoff to take her second GSGA Senior Women's Championship. Harvey and Lindberg shared the opening lead at six-over 78 and finished regulation at nine-over 153 at Coosa Country Club.

Harvey, who had bogeyed the par-four 18th to let the 1999 champion into the playoff, made double bogeyon the same hole after hitting her approach into the bunker. Lindberg was able to clinch victory with a two-putt par from 20 feet.

Lindberg, who jumped to a two-stroke lead with a hole-in-one at the 117-yard 10th, dropped three shots and the lead to Harvey on holes 13, 14 and 15. Harvey birdied 13 when she hit her approach on the short par-five to less than two feet. Lindberg gave her 14 and 15 with a pair of three-putt bogeys. The two matched pars on the next two holes, with Lindberg nearly chipping in on the par-three 17th, before Harvey's wayward tee shot and short, lip-out par putt left the door open for Lindberg.

Two-time defending champion Ginette Spinucci of Stone Mountain, who finished third with scores of 79-78--157, stayed within a stroke of the co-leaders until closing with four-straight bogeys. Darlene Wehrnyak of Lawrenceville moved up to fourth at 159 after a final-round 76. Second-flight competitor Donnie Faucette of Big Canoe shot 80-80--160 to finish fifth overall. Liz Butler of Columbus and 2000 champion Rochelle Weaver of Resaca, playing from the first flight, tied for sixth at 162.

Other flight winners were: third - Sue Franklin of Plainville; fourth - Donna Keyser of Macon; fifth (tie) - Margaret Williams of Rome and Shirley Davis of Columbus; sixth- Claire Pelfrey of Dalton and seventh (tie) - Mary Campbell of Cedartown and Doris Williams of Dunwoody.

Lindberg, the 2000 Georgia Women's Amateur Champion and an 11-time club champion at Cherokee Town and Country Club, came to the 2003 championship "with a vengeance." Lindberg was just one stroke back of Spinucci after the opening round in 2002, but never got to challenge as heavy rain forced cancellation of the second round. Harvey settled for third in 2002, three strokes behind Spinucci.

Lindberg and Harvey are both headed to the USGA Senior Women's Amateur Championship at Barton Springs Resort and Club in Austin, Texas September 6-11. Harvey, who advanced to the second round of match play in the 2002 championship after beating three-time U.S. Women's and four-time U.S. Senior Women's champion Anne Sander, is a former tennis teaching professional who held the nation's number-one ranking in doubles for the 35, 40 and 45 age divisions. Before retiring and relocating to Georgia, Harvey had previous success in competitive golf too, winning the Grand Rapids (Mich.) City Championship in 1981 and 1989. Lindberg, who had faced Harvey at United States Tennis Association national championships in the past, was a quarterfinalist at the 2000 USGA Senior Women's Amateur and won the 1999 Greater Atlanta Women's Amateur Championship.

The GSGA Senior Women's Championship was established in 1998. The competitors in the championship through second flights were eligible for the overall title and played the course from 5,684 yards and at a par of 72. The other flights played the course as a par 71 at 5,448 yards. Entries were open to female amateur golfers who were at least 50 years of age as of August 27, Georgia residents and members of a GSGA member club.

GSGA conducts 17 statewide competitions for men and women of all age groups, three interstate matches and 17 USGA qualifying events each year. Other services include computerized handicapping, course rating and measuring, a summer-long junior sectional competitions program, Golf Georgia magazine and two college scholarship programs.

Final Results

Top Ten Overall
1 Claudeen Lindberg, Atlanta 78 75 153 *
2 Ena Harvey, Greensboro 78 75 153
3 Ginette Spinucci, Stone Mountain 79 78 157
4 Darlene Werhnyak, Lawrenceville 83 76 159
5 Donnie Faucette, Big Canoe 81 80 161
6 Liz Butler, Columbus 82 80 162
6 Rochelle Weaver, Resaca 80 82 162
8 Barbara Brown, Carrollton 80 83 163
8 Kathleen Gill, Marietta 83 80 163
10 Belinda Marsh, Alpharetta 79 85 164