Greater Atlanta Women's: Reynolds wire-to-wire
GSGA photo
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (May 24, 2007)-- Jean Reynolds of Newnan carded a final-round 74 to capture a wire-to-wire victory at the 38th annual Greater Atlanta Women’s Amateur Championship, which was held at White Columns Country Club.
Riverdale’s Mariah Stackhouse, who closed to within two shots of Reynolds, stumbled with bogeys on three of her last four holes and finished five shots behind in second place. Gainesville’s Lauren Darnell, who began the final round in a fifth moved into third position after carding 74, giving her a 227 for the championship.
Reynolds, who finished as the runner-up in last year’s event, recorded a bogey on her first and third holes of the day but rebounded by carding a birdie on the 414-yard, par-5 ninth. Making the turn at 1-over-par, Reynolds found herself with a four stroke advantage on Stackhouse.
Stackhouse, 13, capitalized on Reynolds’ errant tee shot, and subsequent double-bogey, on number ten and was able to close to within two shots by carding a par. That was as close as she would be able to get, however, as Reynolds would tally birdies at No. 11 and No. 16 and pars the rest of the way.
“The Greater Atlanta has always been one of my favorite tournaments,” Reynolds explained. “The GSGA staff does a wonderful job running this event and the course here at White Columns was in perfect condition. I am thrilled that my victory came on this course.”
Three-time past champion, Laura Coble of Augusta, fought her way back into fourth position after a final-round 74 and finished with a tournament total of 228. Cumming’s Patti Huxford carded a final-round 75 and finished tied for fifth with Susan Rheney of Greensboro. In seventh place was Lauren Folgosa, a member of the Richmond Univeristy women’s golf team, who finished at 233. Alone in eighth position, and winning first flight honors with a 235, was Carterville’s Kaley Branton. Branton plays college golf at Troy University. Jackie Sexton of Cumming fell to ninth position after her final-round 84 and tenth went to Alpharetta’s Amira Alexander.
Lawrenceville’s Darlene Werhnyak took home the Senior Award as the low senior player to play from the championship tees. Werhnyak strung together rounds of 80, 76 and 83 to win the award by two strokes over Atlanta’s Claudeen Lindberg and Ena Harvey of Greensboro.
Other flight winners include: 2nd flight – Sweetpea Laseter of Madison (243); 3rd flight – Lea Wilson of Atlanta (241); 4th flight – Shelby Stanfield of Alpharetta (239); 5th flight – Ann Young of Big Canoe (253).