2008 Top 60 Women’s Classic

Crosby Hangs on to Capture Top 60 Women's Classic

DAHLONEGA, Ga. – Leigh Crosby of Athens carded a final-round 77 to hold on and win the 2008 Georgia Top 60 Women's Classic, which was held at Achasta Golf Club, June 25-26. Kendall Wright of Suwanee, who started the day tied with Crosby, posted 78 in the final round and finished with a tournament total of 147, one shot off Crosby's pace.

"It was a struggle out there today," Crosby explained. "I had a couple of good holes and a couple of bad holes. While I was out there, I started to wonder whether or not this was the same course that I had played during the first round."

Crosby, who transfers to the University of Georgia as a Junior this coming fall, began her day with bogey at one and three. Wright, who also made bogey at one, birdied the 141-yard third hole to take a two shot advantage. Wright followed that birdie with a double-bogey on the fourth hole and Crosby's ensuing par evened things between the duo. After both players made par at number five, Crosby rolled in a birdie putt on the sixth to move ahead by a one.

Wright, 17, capitalized on back-to-back double-bogeys by Crosby at nine and ten to take a two-shot lead. However, Wright made bogey and then double-bogey on Nos. 12 and13 and the score swung back in favor of Crosby. Crosby made her way to the 471-yard 15th and connected on a 12-foot birdie putt to give her the lead. Crosby never looked back, carding par on each of her final three holes and posting two-over 146 for the tournament.

"This win feels so good after finishing as the runner-up a year ago," Crosby said. "I cannot wait to come back and defend this one."

Danielle Davis of St. Simons Island, who finished at the top of the second flight, posted two rounds of 74 to finish in third place overall. Riverdale's Mariah Stackhouse, the 2008 Georgia Girls' Champion, posted a final-round 75 to finish fourth. The reigning GSGA Senior Women's Champ, Brenda Pictor of Marietta, also fired a 75 in the closing round to move up to fifth position. Lauren Darnell of Gainesville, the defending champion, followed her opening round 73 with a 79 to finish at the top of the first flight and take sole possession of sixth place overall. Kaley Branton of Cartersville finished seventh overall with a tournament total of 153. In eighth, at 154, was Greensboro's Susan Rheney. Five players tied for ninth place at 12-over par, 156.

Other flight winners: Marilyn Nolan-Johnson of Marietta in flight three (161) and Alpharetta's Belinda Marsh took flight four (171).

Originally known as the Women's Top 40 Competition, this event was established in 1989 to showcase the top female amateurs in Georgia. The field, which expanded to 56 in 2002, was expanded again to 60 in 2003 and the event was renamed. The field was determined by handicap index, with the 60 lowest entrants receiving positions in the field. The field was divided into five flights (Championship and first through fourth) by handicap index. All participants played from the same tees and were eligible for the overall title. Entries were open to female amateur golfers who are Georgia residents and a member of a GSGA Member Club.

Final Results

Top Ten Overall
1 Leigh Crosby, Athens 69 77 146 2
2 Kendall Wright, Suwanee 69 78 147 3
3 Danielle Davis, Saint Simons 74 74 148 4
4 Mariah Stackhouse, Riverdale 74 75 149 5
5 Brenda Pictor, Marietta 76 75 151 7
6 Lauren Darnell, Gainesville 73 79 152 8
7 Kaley Branton, Cartersville 75 78 153 9
8 Susan Rheney, Greensboro 78 76 154 10
T9 Tess Fordham, Metter 77 79 156 12
T9 Anna Rogers, Hartwell 74 82 156 12
T9 Jayne Curtis, Calhoun 78 78 156 12
T9 Jennifer King, Smyrna 80 76 156 12
T9 Kasay Holbrook, Dawsonville 76 80 156 12

 

Championship Flight
1 Leigh Crosby, Athens 69 77 146 2
2 Kendall Wright, Suwanee 69 78 147 3
3 Mariah Stackhouse, Riverdale 74 75 149 5
4 Brenda Pictor, Marietta 76 75 151 7
5 Kaley Branton, Cartersville 75 78 153 9
6 Susan Rheney, Greensboro 78 76 154 10
7 Tess Fordham, Metter 77 79 156 12
8 Beth Williams, Atlanta 80 81 161 17
9 Charlotte Grant, Greensboro 79 83 162 18
10 Jennifer Nam, Buford 85 80 165 21
11 Jane Duggan, Atlanta 80 93 173 29

 

First Flight
1 Lauren Darnell, Gainesville 73 79 152 8
T2 Anna Rogers, Hartwell 74 82 156 12
T2 Jayne Curtis, Calhoun 78 78 156 12
T2 Jennifer King, Smyrna 80 76 156 12
5 Gwen Wiencek, Marietta 82 82 164 20
6 Mary Helen McElreath, Augusta 81 87 168 24
7 Abby Johnson, Braselton 80 93 173 29
T8 Leigh Hunter, Jasper 89 86 175 31
T8 Leslie Elkins, Roswell 91 84 175 31
10 Mary Riley, Perry 91 86 177 33

 

Second Flight
1 Danielle Davis, Saint Simons 74 74 148 4
2 Kasay Holbrook, Dawsonville 76 80 156 12
3 Kristie McCollister, Alpharetta 81 81 162 18
T4 Liz Butler, Columbus 83 86 169 25
T4 Maria Johnson, Jesup 86 83 169 25
6 Elaine Montano, Augusta 85 86 171 27
7 Mary Holmes, Sautee 81 92 173 29
8 Lynne Laseter, Madison 84 90 174 30
T9 Jackie Sexton, Cumming 93 84 177 33
T9 Sydney Dunning, Marietta 88 89 177 33
11 Marci Morettini, Alpharetta 87 91 178 34
12 Ann Schuette, Clayton 92 92 184 40

 

Third Flight
1 Marilyn Nolan-Johnson, Marietta 77 84 161 17
2 Jodie Shepard, Newnan 90 80 170 26
T3 Janice Atterberry, Dahlonega 88 85 173 29
T3 Melanie Pray, Mableton 90 83 173 29
T5 Debbie Blount, Atlanta 82 92 174 30
T5 Jinna Wheeler, Canton 89 85 174 30
7 Donna Eaton, Greensboro 86 89 175 31
8 Jean Dawson, Suwanee 89 90 179 35
9 Alice Richardson, Alphareta 95 90 185 41
10 Susan Tucker, Atlanta 90 96 186 42
11 Sally Steiner, Dahlonega 90 97 187 43
12 Ginny Thompson, Alpharetta 94 97 191 47

 

Fourth Flight
1 Belinda Marsh, Alpharetta 87 84 171 27
2 Gayle Gibson, Dacula 88 87 175 31
3 Sandra Moody, Waynesboro 94 84 178 34
4 Jan Cross, Evans 88 91 179 35
5 Louise Beaudoin, Alpharetta 95 85 180 36
6 Lori Soles, Perry 94 89 183 39
7 Diana Scott, Atlanta 96 89 185 41
8 Sandra Doyle, Dalton 87 99 186 42
T9 Cheryl Drewyer, Newnan 96 92 188 44
T9 Katie Long, Cumming 89 99 188 44
T11 JoAnn Setliffe, Woodstock 94 99 193 49
T11 Nancy Freeman, Atlanta 99 94 193 49
13 Janet Norris, Eatonton 107 100 207 63
14 Anne Russell, Atlanta 107 103 210 66