PORTLAND, ORE – For the first time in United States Golf Association (USGA) history, two Canadians, both from Ontario, met in the finals of an amateur championship. Etobicoke’s Terrill Samuel and Thornhill’s Judith Kyrinis teed it up on Sept. 14 at the Waverley Country Club in Portland, Oregon to see who would be the one to bring the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur title back to Ontario.
Simply making the final was an accomplishment, but both women were looking to become the first Canadian USGA champion since St. Thomas’ Mary Ann Hayward captured the 2005 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. The most recent Canadian to win the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur was none other than World Golf Hall of Famer, Marlene Stewart Streit, in 2003.
The championship match began with Kyrinis, a member at the Thornhill Club, taking the lead on the first hole. Samuel, from Weston Golf & Country Club would respond with a par on the fifth to even the match. Kyrinis moved back in front thanks to a birdie on the seventh and held onto that lead as they made the turn. Kyrinis would take the 12th and 13th to move to 3up. Then, on the 15th, she made birdie to win the match and the championship 4&3.
Kyrinis, 53, was the highest ranked Canadian coming out of the stroke-play portion of the competition at ninth. She beat American Jen Holland 6&4 in the round of 64, 2009 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion Martha Leach (USA) 5&4, in the round of 32, 2009 U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Champion Sherry Herman (USA) 2up in the round of 16, American Lisa McGill 2&1 in the quarterfinals, before ousting former LPGA Tour professional Tara Fleming (USA) 2&1 in the semifinals.
Samuel, 56, entered the match play portion of the championship ranked 47th. She began with a win over Terri Frohnmayer (USA) 1up in the round of 64, then defeated Liz Waynick (USA) in the round of 32 in 20 holes, Carolyn Creekmore (USA) 2up in the round of 16, followed by a 5&3 win over American Patricia Cornett in the quarterfinals, she then needed 19 holes to get past former LPGA Tour player Patricia Schremmer (USA) in the semis to reach the finals.
The U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, open to female amateurs age 50 and older with a Handicap Index not exceeding 18.4, consists of two 18-hole rounds of stroke play and six rounds of match play.
Both finalists receive an exemption from qualifying into the inaugural 2018 U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship at the historic Chicago Golf Club in Wheaton, Ill., with the winner receiving a two-year exemption into the championship. Both finalists also receive a two-year exemption into the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur (2017 and 2018) and exemptions for future U.S. Senior Women’s Amateurs – 10 years for the winner and three for the runner-up.
Golf Ontario would like to congratulate both Kyrinis and Samuel for their excellent showing.
Round by round scoring can be found on USGA’s tournament site at: http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2017/u-s–senior-women-s-amateur.html
Highlights from the 2017 Investors Group Ontario Women’s Senior and Mid-Amateur Championship, June 25-27 at Wildfire Golf Club in Lakefield, Ontario. Both titles were won by Thornhill’s Judith Kyrinis.
LAKEFIELD— It is a repeat for Thornhill’s Judith Kyrinis as Investors Group Ontario Senior Women’s Champion. In addition, The Thornhill Club member can add Ontario Mid-Amateur Champion to her resume after capturing both titles on June 29 at Wildfire Golf Club in Lakefield. The final round of Golf Ontario’s Women’s Senior and Mid-Amateur Championship was a soggy affair that did see a short delay mid round. However, at the end of the day, the field made it through the full 18 holes.
Kyrinis, 53 years old, entered the day with a four-shot lead over Mississauga’s Debbie Court. The weather definitely had an affect on Kyrinis, along with all of the players, during the round. Kyrinis was three-over after nine but double bogeyed the 10th. She did get back into a groove to finish the round five-over (78) for a tournament total of four-over (72-73-78-223), good enough for a six-stroke win.
After her win, Kyrinis spoke about what repeating as champion was like.“Repeating as champion was a lot of hard work. I did a lot of work in the winter to be ready to try and repeat. It is never easy to repeat and I am thrilled to win both titles this year.”
The weather definelty played a factor during the final round, Kyrinis spoke about the conditions. “It was a struggle today. It was a difficult day, conditions were very soggy so you had to be careful. We have had so much rain this spring but the greens were perfect, kudos to them (Wildfire Golf Club’s grounds crew).
Second place, in both events, went to St. Thomas’ Mary Ann Hayward. The St. Thomas Golf & Country Club member was two-over at the turn, and finished the day four-over (77). That brought her tournament total to 10-over (74-78-77-229).
The bronze medal was won by Etobicoke’s Marion Reid. Reid, from the Islington Golf Club, fired a four-over (77) during the final round to earn a spot on the podium. She finished the tournament 11-over (75-78-77-230).
Kyrinis, Hayward and Reid will all move on to represent Ontario in the inter-provincial competition at the Canadian Women’s Mid-Amateur and Senior Championship, Aug. 22-24 at Humber Valley Resort in Little Rapids, Newfoundland.
Court, from Toronto Golf Club, went on to pick up the 60+ Division title finishing the tournament 16-over (72-77-86-235). Collingwood’s Ellen Horton, Blue Mountain Golf & Country Club, was the winner of the 70+ Division.
In district team competitions, Team York (Kyrinis, Court, Reid and Etobicoke’s Joanne Noble) won the Senior Gross and Net Championships. Niagara District (St. Catharines’ Chris Critelli and Welland’s Stefani Markovich) won the Mid-Amateur Gross competition, while London District (London’s Irini Perivolaris and Ingersoll’s Jennifer Lavis) took the Mid-Amateur Net title.
Also announced, at the conclusion of the event, were the members of the 2018 Ada Mackenzie Team. The team will consist of: Kyrinis, Hayward, Reid, Court, Etobicoke’s Terrill Samuel, Kingston’s Allyson Harrison, Critelli, Lavis, Stouffville’s Ivy Steinberg and Brockville’s Teri deLuis.
For full tournament information, including the final leaderboards, see the tournament page at: https://gao.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/gao17/event/gao179/index.htm
Golf Ontario would like to thank Wildfire Golf Club, their staff and volunteers for hosting the event. Thanks also to the Golf Ontario volunteers and to title sponsor Investors Group for their continued support of golf in the province.
About the Investors Group Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship
The Investors Group Ontario Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship has been contested annually since 1989 and features the province’s best female amateurs over 25. Past champions of the event include: Gayle Borthwick, Terrill Samuel, Stefani Markovich and Mary Ann Hayward who has captured the trophy 14 times.
About the Investors Group Senior Women’s Championship
The Investors Group Ontario Senior Women’s Amateur Championship has been contested annually since 1962 and features the province’s best female amateurs age 50 and over. Past champions of the event include: Ada Mackenzie, Kay Helleur, Gayle Borthwick, Mary Ann Hayward and World Golf Hall of Fame member Marlene Stewart Streit.
