2002 Senior Women’s Championship

Ginette Spinucci Claims Shortened GSGA Senior Women's Championship

SAVANNAH, GA - First-round leader Ginette Spinucci of Stone Mountain collected her second straight GSGA Senior Women's Championship after heavy rains washed out the final round of play at Wilmington Island Club. Spinucci's one-over 73 edged 1999 champion Claudeen Lindberg of Atlanta by one stroke. Ena Harvey of Greensboro finished third at 76.

Play was halted due to lightening at 10:00 a.m., two hours after the first groups teed off. The course, which was already saturated from some six inches of rain over the previous four days, was deemed unplayable after two hours of additional rain. The championship was officially shortened from 36 to 18 holes at 12:30 p.m.

Liz Butler of Columbus took fourth at 77, with Jodie Shepard of Newnan claiming fifth with her opening 78. Elaine Carsel of Athens, Marilyn Nolan-Johnson of Marietta and Darlene Werhnyak of Lawrenceville tied for sixth at 79. Judy Wilson of Marietta, who won the first flight, finished ninth overall at 81. Susan Tucker of Atlanta took 10th with an 82.

Other flight winners were second, 2000 overall champion Rochelle Weaver of Resaca (84); third, Jan Shirley of Albany (82); fourth, Jin Kil Yeom of Marietta (82); fifth, Sally Seaback of Roswell (90); sixth, Winnie Goldston of Warner Robins (88) and seventh, Carolyn Schuett of Newnan (101).

Lindberg, who like Spinucci has also won the Georgia Women's Amateur, lamented her missed opportunities in the opening round, including two lipped-out par putts that would have made the difference. Lindberg, who teed off on the 10th hole Wednesday, bogeyed two of her last three holes to finish one back of Spinucci.

 

Lindberg mis-hit her approach shot on the 293-yard par four seventh when she became distracted and failed to get up and down from the bunker when her 20-foot putt edged the cup. On her final hole, despite taking two extra clubs for the wind on the par-three, 141-yard ninth, Lindberg left her shot short of the green and narrowly missed her 12 footer for par.

The GSGA Senior Women's Championship was established by the GSGA in 1998 to expand competitive opportunities for senior women in the state. The 109 competitors were divided into eight flights according to their handicap index. The Championship through second flights played from 5,421 yards and were eligible for the overall title. The third through seventh flights played from 5,202 yards. Entries were open to female amateur golfers who were at least 50 years of age as of August 28, Georgia residents and members of a GSGA Member Club.

GSGA conducts 18 statewide competitions for men and women of all age groups, three interstate matches, one Atlanta-area competition 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 Ginette Spinucci, Stone Mountain 73
2 Claudeen Lindberg, Atlanta 74
3 Ena Harvey, Greensboro 76
4 Liz Butler, Columbus 77
5 Jodie Shepard, Newnan 78
6 Elaine Carsel, Athens 79
6 Marilyn Nolan-Johnson, Marietta 79
6 Darlene Werhnyak, Lawrenceville 79
9 Judy Wilson, Marietta 81
10 Susan Tucker, Atlanta 82
10 Sherry Huchet, Peachtree City 82