Jacksonville, Fla. – Kathy Glennon outlasted Kim Keyer-Scott to capture the victory of the Women’s Senior Match Play Championship on Tuesday at Deerwood Country Club. Additionally, Sandie St. Onge captured the victory of the Super-Senior Division. Rounding out the women’s championship season with what can only be described as an endurance of golf, the Championship and Super-Senior divisions began on Sunday with a stroke play seeding round and matches to follow on Monday and Tuesday. In addition, the Middle and Forward division played matches on Sunday and Monday. Match elimination began after the afternoon matches on Monday with only a limited field left to compete for Tuesday.
Championship Division
The Championship Division did not disappoint throughout the week, offering many thrilling moments between the stroke play seeding round and match play. The Championship began with Kim Keyer-Scott firing a 73 to post the low round in stroke play, which was a sign that there was more great golf to come. However, with Lin Culver returning to defend her title, she would start match play as the number 1 seed.
Monday’s matches offered a variety of results. From several upsets, to a few commanding victories, not one match in the Championship brackets needed to extend to extra holes. Defending champion, Lin Culver started her match play run facing off against Suzanne Ricard. The two competed in the 2022 final match where Culver outlasted Ricard to pick up the victory. This year, the results remained the same and Culver bested Ricard 4&3 to advance to the Quarterfinals.
Kathy Glennon began her match play bid against the 2021 champion Gigi Higgins. A tight match throughout most of the day, Glennon took a 2 up lead heading into the 17th hole where she won the hole and secured a 3&1 victory over Higgins. This would send Glennon into the afternoon to face off against Adrienne MacLean. Finding herself in another close match, Glennon and MacLean needed one additional hole to decide the victor. On their 19th hole, Glennon bested MacLean, which would secure her Semifinal match against defending champion Lin Culver who was primed to defend her title.
Glennon, the 13the seed was in for a battle against the 2023 Women’s Senior Player of the Year and number two seed Kim Keyer-Scott. After nine holes, Glennon found herself 2 up against Keyer-Scott and was not showing signs of letting up. Keyer-Scott had other plans. Battling back hole-by-hole, Keyer-Scott worked her deficit to one down by the 11th hole, but quickly Glennon quickly regained her 2 up lead on 12. On the difficult par 3, 15th hole, Keyer-Scott found the putting surface, while Glennon was just off in the left hand fringe. With a nice chip, Glennon had about eight feet to save par. Without hesitation, Glennon knocked in the putt and remained 2 up. On the 17th hole, both players found the green in regulation. With an untimely three putt, Glennon opened the door for Keyer-Scott as they moved on to eighteen. Each player trading shot for shot, they each had a birdie putt on the 18th hole. Glennon to putt first, nestled her ball to a tap in distance. Keyer-Scott’s putt to extend the match just missed and with a nod and concession, Glennon captured a 1 up victory. Walking off the green with her putter raised and a cheer of “finally” Glennon picked up her first individual FSGA victory and second victory of the 2023 season.
Super-Senior Division
As the defending champion, Sandie St. Onge began her championship as the one seed similar to Culver. With a tough list of opponents in front of her, St. Onge started her match play run against Kathy Malpass. In what was a back and forth match, Malpass took the defending champion to their 18th hole where St. Onge would go on to claim a 1 up victory.
St. Onge headed into the afternoon matches to face off against Alexandra Frazier. St. Onge quickly found her stride and picked up a 4&3 victory and secured a spot in the final match where she would face off against Joy Passalaqua. Passalacqua fired a one-under par round of 71 in the stroke play seeding and was looking to pick up her first win. The two players battled throughout the final match where for most of the day the two traded off between a 1 up lead and being tied. St. Onge picked up the 15th and 16th hole which would be enough to win her match and become a back-to-back champion.
Middle Division
In addition, Deirdre Spina and Marybeth Mason of the Middle Division were victorious in their matches on Monday and faced each other in the finals on Tuesday morning. Spina defeated Mason 2&1.
In the Middle First Division, Cheryl Sadlon and Leslie Sistla faced off in the finals and Sadlon overcame Sistla to capture a commanding 6&4 victory.
Forward Divison
Deanna Woods of the Forward Division defeated Janet Strong 1 up to capture the win.
Finally, in the Forward First Division, Tracy Nessel outlasted Lisa Champagne 8&6 to secure the division win.
Consolation Matches
Championship Consolation
Gigi Higgins and Marion Reid faced off in the final consolation match where Higgins outlasted Reid 4&3.
In the Championship 1 Consolation match, Jennifer Hawkins defeated Mindy Smith on the 21st hole.
Finally, in the Championship 2 Consolation match, Susie Fonde was victorious over Jewell Malick on the 19th hole.
Super-Senior Consolation
Kathy Westlund and Donna Fiedorowicz faced off in the final consolation match where Fiedorowicz outlasted Westlund 3&2.
In the Super-Senior Championship 1 Consolation match, Shan Giordano defeated Sydney Dunning 6&5.
Middle Consolation
Meredith Blinn and Kerry Timm faced off in the final consolation match where Blinn outlasted Timm 3&2.
In the Middle 1 Consolation match, Yenisse Cachongrete defeated Peggy Butts in 19 holes.
Forward Consolation
Liz Porter and Linda Jane Parson faced off in the final consolation match where Parson outlasted Porter 2&1.
In the Forward 1 Consolation match, Ana Leaird defeated Susan Bean 1 up.
