2003 Greater Atlanta Women’s Amateur Championship

Shirley Fends off Coble, Wins Greater Atlanta Women's Amateur in a Playoff

MCDONOUGH, Ga. - Margaret Shirley of Roswell captured the 34th Annual Greater Atlanta Women's Amateur Championship in a one-hole, sudden-death playoff over defending champion Laura Coble of Augusta. Shirley, who held at least a share of the lead through 52 holes, birdied 18 to finish tied with Coble at seven-over 223. Shirley won the playoff with par as Coble's approach shot clipped a tree and she failed to get up and down.

Finishing third at 230 was former Southern Illinois University golfer Alison Hiller of Atlanta. University of Georgia golfers Sarah Trew of Acworth and Abbi Francis of Covington finished fourth and fifth respectively at 238 and 239.

Shirley, a 17-year-old rising senior, began the day with a three-stroke lead and, after trading some strokes on the front nine, was back to three up with a birdie at 10. Shirley's putting stroke began to falter, though, and Coble, the state's top women's amateur, pulled even at number 14. Shirley three-putted hole 11, missed a three-foot par putt on 12, and didn't capitalize on a birdie opportunity of less than six feet on 13. Coble made a great par save from about 15 feet on 14, where Shirley then missed her short par putt. Shirley made a strong 15 footer on 16, but three-putted 17 after over-powering her lag putt to give Coble the lead.

Shirley, who was the runner-up at the 2002 Georgia Girls' and state Class AAAAA championships and has four second-place finishes so far this year, fought back on the 489-yard, par-five 18th where she hit her drive to 216 yards and then "bombed" a three-wood off the downslope, just clearing the front bunker and stopping 15 feet right of the hole. Coble, who had laid up, was about 12 feet above the hole in three. Shirley just edged the cup on her eagle try and tapped in for birdie. Coble nearly avoided the playoff but her birdie putt stopped a half-revolution short.

Shirley, who shot scores of 72-74-77, knew she faced a tough battle with Coble. "She doesn't let up. You have to make birdies to beat her," Shirley said of Coble, the GSGA's Women's Player of the Year for the past five years. Coble got off to a tough start in round one, carding a 79, but got back in contention with a tournament-low 70 on a day most of the field faltered. She fell just short with her final-round 74.

Other flight winners were: first - Katy Rogers, Watkinsville (246); second - Elaine Montano, Augusta (246); third - Katie Walker, Blackshear (242); fourth - Eleanor Kirkland, Stockbridge (261); and fifth - Lea Wilson, Atlanta (253).

The field for the championship, which was held at Georgia National Golf Club May 28-30, was 74 players divided into six flights based on handicap index. The championship through second flights played from the same tees (5,847 yards) and were eligible for the overall championship. The fourth and fifth flights played from 5,155 yards. Entries were open to female amateur golfers who are members of the GSGA and Georgia residents. This was the second year the competition was open to women from across the state.

The 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 Margaret Shirley, Roswell 72 74 77 223 *
2 Laura Coble, Augusta 9 70 74 223
3 Alison Hiller, Atlanta 74 80 76 230 
4 Sarah Trew, Acworth 79 81 78 238
5 Abbi Francis, Covington 75 83 81 239
6 Katie Davidson, Bonaire 77 82 82 241
7 Katy Rogers, Watkinsville 82 85 79 246
7 Elaine Montano, Augusta 83 84 79 246
9 Virginia Tyson, Macon 84 86 77 247
9 Sue Tucker, Atlanta 84 79 84 247

 

Championship Flight
1 Margaret Shirley, Roswell 72 74 77 223 *
2 Laura Coble, Augusta 79 70 74 223
3 Alison Hiller, Atlanta 74 80 76 230
4 Sarah Trew, Acworth 79 81 78 238
5 Abbi Francis, Covington 75 83 81 239
6 Katie Davidson, Bonaire 77 82 82 241
7 Charlotte Grant, Greensboro 85 83 82 250
8 Ena Harvey, Greensboro 85 88 82 255
9 Sarah Kate Cousart, Athens 83 88 87 258
10 Elizabeth Zientak, Dacula 88 91 85 264
11 Katherine Hooks, Augusta 93 92 81 266
12 Rebecca Rogers, Alpharetta WD

 

First Flight 
1 Katy Rogers, Watkinsville 82 85 79 246
2 Virginia Tyson, Macon 84 86 77 247
3 Darlene Werhnyak, Lawrenceville 94 78 79 251
4 Annalee Harlan, Rocky Face 87 85 86 258
5 Mary Riley, Perry 86 94 81 261
6 R. Anderson, Woodstock 91 83 88 262
7 Lauren Cousart, Athens 83  91 89 263 
8 Danielle Davis, St.Simons Island 87 90 88 265
9 Leslie Elkins, Roswell 90 92 87 269
10 Serena Johnston, Acworth 92 94 89 275
11 Jane Duggan, Atlanta 97 96 95 288
12 Brenna Gibson, Dalton WD

 

Second Flight
1 Elaine Montano, Augusta 83 84 79 246
2 Sue Tucker, Atlanta 84 79 84 247
3 Ginette Spinucci, Stone Mountain 84 85 81 250
4 Liz Butler, Columbus 82 84 86 252
5 Claudeen Lindberg, Atlanta 83 82 88 253
6 Nancy Holm, Alpharetta 80 85 89 254
7 Deana Atkins, Dacula 87 90 85 262
8 Stephanie Stocks, Perry 91 90 86 267
9 Erin Campbell, Canton 88 92 88 268
10 Marilyn Nolan-Johnson, Marietta 92 94 90 276
11 Betty Rich, Villa Rica 96 93 89 278
12 Carolyn Hooks, Augusta WD

 

Third Flight
1 Katie Walker, Blackshear 81 82 79 242
2 Debra Partridge, Roswell 83 84 82 249
3 Belinda Marsh, Alpharetta 85 85 80 250
4 Sissi Gann, Kathleen 84 86 87 257
5 Donnie Faucette, Big Canoe 84 86 89 259
6 Soon Yiae Kim, Smyrna 87 90 85 262
7 Linda Edwards, Peachtree City 90 90 86 266
7 Sarah Ro, Atlanta 93 83 90 266
9 Debbie Blount, Atlanta 94 88 87 269
10 Lucky Mahler, Warner Robins 94 93 88 275
11 Carole Cavanaugh, Sharpsburg 96 89 99 284
12 Jill Reichelderfer, Tucker 106 89 102 297

 

Fourth Flight 
1 Eleanor Kirkland, Stockbridge 89 85 87 261
2 Lynne Magurno, Alpharetta 88 89 85 262
3 Fran Coody, Perry 91 87 89 267
4 Barbara McCracken, Decatur 91 92 85 268
5 Olivia Flanagan, Marietta 92 91 86 269
6 Suzie Tindall, Atlanta 91 92 88 271
7 Jin Kil Yeom, Marietta 89 96 87 272
7 Janet Thielemann, Marietta 95 89 88 272
9 Sue Guion, Alpharetta 96 86 93 275
10 Ann Railey, Lawrenceville 101 83 94 278
11 Lurisa Waldron, Lavonia 104 93 93 290
12 Udeen Lester, Conyers 104 102 112 318

 

Fifth Flight
1 Lea Wilson, Atlanta 84 87 82 253
2 Grace Bogolin, Newnan 96 91 85 272
3 Choo Turner, Alpharetta 95 90 91 276
4 Donna Hain, Marietta 90 92 96 278
5 Gwen Flynn, Jonesboro 97 87 95 279
5 Hyung Hong, McDonough 95 96 88 279
7 Jane Dazey, Marietta 93 92 95 280 
8 Sue Marshall, Marietta 97 95 93 285
9 Konda Gilbert, Peachtree City 96 96 101 293
10 Diana Showalter, Clarkston 95 102 101 298 
11 Nancy Huff, Atlanta 103 96 101 300 
12 Maureen Daugherty, Roswell 101 104 100 305
13 Miki Davis, Alpharetta WD
13 Ellen Stewart, Lithonia WD

 

* playoff