Little wins fourth Senior Women's title; Horwood takes top spot in Super-Senior Championship

June 19, 2014
Morgan Gibbens (British Columbia Golf)

Jackie Little won her fourth British Columbia Golf Senior Women’s Championship in addition to placing first in the Mid-Master Championship on Thursday at Vernon Golf and Country Club; while Holly Horwood took home top honours in the Super-Senior Championship.

RESULTS | PHOTOS | VIDEO

Little closed out the championships shooting 78-73-78 for a final of +7 on the 5919-yard par-74 course with a comfortable six-stroke lead.

“The golf course was in fabulous shape the greens were beautiful. And tricky,” said Little.

“I haven’t been here for ten years and I forgot how subtly tricky these greens are.”

Four bogeys on the back nine and tricky greens made less of an impact after the Port Alberni resident shot a championship-best 73 on the second day of competition and entered the final round five strokes ahead of Horwood in second.

In addition to taking the titles in individual competition, Little won the Zone Team Competition on Wednesday as part of the Zone Six team with Karen Kloske.

Horwood struggled on the back nine for the second day in a row, carding a total of seven birdies out, but had cultivated a strong enough lead during the first two days of competition to hold second place in the Mid-Master and Senior Championships and first in the Super-Senior event shooting +13 (75-78-82).

“It’s so nice that they do honour the over-60’s, I think that’s very important for the longevity of the game,” said Horwood.

The 2006 & 2007 Champion’s performance was highlighted by two eagles both on number six on the first and second days of competition.

Penny Baziuk, representing Ardmore Golf Course, finished at +15 (78-79-80) to round out the top three in the Mid-Master and Senior Women’s Championships. Baziuk played consistently over the three days of competition earning her bronze medal finish and the final spot on the provincial team that will compete in at nationals at the end of the summer.

In the Super-Senior Championship, Alison Murdoch of Victoria, pulled off a spectacular come-from-behind performance, finishing second at +16 after her best round of the championship. Murdoch recorded three birdies on the final day of play; Murdoch improved her scores each day shooting 83-79-76.

Defending Senior Women’s champion, Lynda Palahniuk placed third in the Super-Senior Championship despite struggling on the final day of competition shooting an 84 to finish the Championship 17-over par (76-79-84).

Little, Horwood and Baziuk have earned spots to represent British Columbia Golf at the Canadian Senior Women’s Championship at Milby Golf Club in Sherbrooke, Que on August 19-21.

Best-ball

Dee Horie and Sheila van Gisbergen finished first in the best-ball competition. Scoring for this event was taken from the teams combined best score for each hole over the three days of competition; it differs from a four-ball competition because teammates were not paired together.

The pair finished at an impressive 36-under (60-63-63) with a total of seven eagles and only two bogeys blemishing their scorecard.

Darleen Michell and Susan Ovans finished second in the best-ball competition 28-under par (65-64-65) followed two stroked behind by Nina Henriksen and Susan Russell (71-63-62).

 

Zone Six wins Zone Competition; Little moves into the top spot
June 18, 2014

Jackie Little moves to the top of the leaderboard in the Mid-Master and Senior Women’s Championships on Wednesday with a low round for the day 1-under par 73 at Vernon Golf and Country Club.

The Port Alberni resident improved on her first round score by five strokes as the only competitor to finish under par in the Championships after two days of competition. She holds a two-stroke lead going into the final round on Thursday.

First round leader and two-time Women’s Senior Champion, Holly Horwood, seemed to be in tremendous shape on the front nine but struggled on the back half even carding a triple bogey on number 11 a 285-yard par-4 that would contribute to her +4 on the day.

Despite a tough back nine, Horwood remains in second in the Mid-Master and Senior Championships and holds first place in the Super-Senior Championship by two strokes.

Defending champion, Lynda Palahniuk slipped down the ranks one spot to third in the Mid-Master and Senior Championships and to second in the Super-Senior event after finishing with a five-over-par 79 on the 5919-yard par-74 course but remains well within reach of a top place finish.

In the Super-Senior Championship two island golfers, Dee Horie of Courtenay and Alison Murdoch of Victoria, are locked in a tie for third at 14-over for the tournament. Murdoch improved on her first round shooting 5-over, while Horie finished with +8 during the second round.

Zone Competition

The Zone Six Team consisting of Little and Karen Kloske won in the zone team competition. Each zone selected two-person teams to represent the region, scoring for this competition is based on players combined two-day scores.

Little and Kloske shot a combined +18 over the two days of competition breaking out of Tuesday’s tie with Zone Four.

Horwood and Phyllis Laschuk of Zone Four finished the zone competition four shots behind the leaders with a 22-over-par 318 that was highlighted on the second day of play by three birdies and an eagle.

Rounding out the top three in team competition was the Zone Five Team of Penny Baziuk and Murdoch who improved on their first round score by five strokes to finish one shot behind Zone Four with a +23.

The final round begins tomorrow at 8am.

 

Former champions on top after round one; hole in one for Kaufmann
June 17, 2014

Two-time Senior Women’s Champion Holly Horwood currently leads the field in the British Columbia Golf Women’s Mid-Master, Senior and Super-Senior Championships sitting at +1 after the first round of competition.

The former Champion’s round was highlighted on Tuesday by four birdies, three scored consecutively, at Vernon Golf and Country Club. Horwood won the Championship in 2006 and again in 2007 representing Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club.

Defending champion, Lynda Palahniuk of Kelowna, wouldn’t allow the leader any breathing room; Palahnuik sits just one stroke behind Horwood in all three primary competitions, shooting a 76 on the 5919-yard par-74 course.

In the Mid-Master and Senior Championships three-time Senior Women’s champion Jackie Little rests in a three-way tie with North Saanich’s, Penny Baziuk and Calgary’s, Cindy Beaudet at +4.

Dee Horie of Courtenay shot 80, including an impressive four birdies to round out the top three in the Super-Senior category.

Carmen Kaufmann shot an incredible hole in one on number 14, a 175-yard par 3 on her way to a +20 showing after day one and currently sits 18th in the Super-Senior Championship.

Zone Competition

More familiar names highlight the leaderboard of the Zone Team Competition in which each zone has selected two-person teams. Scoring for this competition is based on players combined two-day scores.

Jackie Little and Karen Kloske representing zone six are currently tied for first with Holly Horwood and 2010 Senior Women’s Champion, Phyllis Laschuk of zone four with combined scores of 158.

Zone three’s Val Westell and Elaine Blatchford, with 159, are only one stroke behind the leaders in third. 

First tee time tomorrow is 730. 

 

Women's Mid-Master, Senior and Super-Senior Championships just a week away
June 12, 2014

The Vernon Golf and Country Club will host some of British Columbia’s top senior female golfers June 17-19 during the British Columbia Golf Women’s Mid-Master, Senior and Super-Senior Championships.

In the 40th year of the Senior Women’s competition, golfers will compete for the Lucy Markham Trophy on the par-72 6597-yard course that has been part of the Vernon community for over a century.

Lynda Palahniuk returns this year to defend her 2013 Championship title. Last year’s Championship was plagued by inclement weather and was ultimately shortened to 36 holes. Luckily Palahniuk had cultivated her lead early and was crowned the British Columbia Golf Women’s Senior Champion for the second time, she won her first BC Senior Women’s title in 2002.

A number of other former champions are set to return again this year for another shot at the title including Jackie Little (2012, 2011 & 2008), Phyllis Laschuck (2010 & 2003), Allison Murdoch (2009 & 2005) and Holly Horwood (2007 & 2006).

The event has three primary championships (Mid-Master, Senior and Super-Senior) and one secondary championship (Net Stableford). Players compete in all championships in which they are age eligible and compete off the same set of tees. In the Net Stableford competition, a separate field of players competes off a shorter course, there are three flights in this championship based on competitors handicap factor.