CHESTERTOWN, MD (Sept 7, 2006) -- Pamela Clark Brown, from Landenberg, Pa., could see her lead slipping away on the front nine, but last year's Senior runner-up collected herself and came home with a second-round 79 for a 36-hole total of 155, and a four-stroke victory in the 77th MAGA Women's Amateur Championship at Chester River Yacht & Country Club in Chestertown, Md.
Brown, whose winning total had been bettered only once in the previous four years, and who began the round with a three-stroke lead, struggled to the turn in 41, then shot 38 on the back nine. Two of her closest pursuers were in the final group with her, but Heather Heinrich, Wilmington, Del., and Diane Herndon, Silver Spring, Md., both dropped back.
Marie Elmendorf, from Oakton, Va., playing one group behind in the shotgun start, closed to within two shots of the lead after an out-going 38, but five bogeys, including 17-18, did her in and she finished with 78 for a two-round total of 159 and second place. A year ago, she was the First Flight winner with a 36-hole score of 166.
Karen Kinnett, Shepherdstown, W.Va., posted the tournament's low round, a 4-over-par 75 on Thursday, and jumped up to third place with 85-75--160. Her tour included three bogeys on each nine and birdies at No. 11 and No. 15. Heinrich, a six-handicapper, slipped away with a shaky front nine, but got Brown's attention with three birdies in six holes on the last nine. She closed with 82 for 162.
"After she birdied the 10th, I birdied the 11th and that gave me some momentum," said Brown, a four handicapper who also collected the Senior prize. "She still put some pressure on me." To which Heinrich responded, "I finally started hitting some greens and making some putts." She was 2 over par for the final nine.
Although the first round Wednesday was delayed while the maintenance crew got the course ready for play after heavy overnight rains, both rounds were conducted in sunny, mild weather and many of the competitors, especially those with higher handicaps, produced better second-day scores over the 5,781-yard course, which played much longer than the scorecard length.
The final overall leaders: Pamela Clark Brown, Landenberg,Pa, 76-79--155; Marie Elmendorf, Oakton,Va, 81-78--159; Karen Kinnett, Shepherdstown, W.Va., 85-75--160; Heather Heinrich, Wilmington, Del, 80-82--162; Janice Calamiris, Washington, D.C, 83-79--162; Stacey Collins, Cockeysville, Md., 81-81--162; Diane Herndon, Silver Spring, Md., 79-85--164; Sally Ratcliffe, Riderwood, Md., 81-83--164; Tinker Sanger, Hydes, Md., 84-81--165; Joan Winchester, Catonsville, Md., 83-84--167; Susan Podolsky, Alexandria, Va., 80-87--167; and Donna Meyer, Severna Park, Md., 86-82--168
Flight Results
Mary Ann Downey Flight: Calomiris 162 and Herndon 164; Senior: Sanger 165.
Evelyn Glick Flight: Collins 162; Joan Winchester, Catonsville, Md., 83-84-167. Senior: Jane Mason, Centreville, Md., 88-84--172.
Betty Meckley Flight: Corene Turner, Vienna, Va.,89-88--177; Linda Tucker, Reston, Va., 89-88--177. Senior: Sue Sosnowski, Catonsville, Md., 89-88--177.
Mary Patton Janssen Flight: JoEllen Youngblud, Sunderland, Md., 94-90--184; Paula Brown, Bedford, Pa., 92-92--184. Senior: Joan Craver, Olney, Md., 97-96--139
-Reported by John Stewart from Chester River Yacht & CC