NCGA Women's Amateur: Cowan Takes Title
7/28/2006 | by
see also: Northern California Women's Amateur Championship, Poppy Ridge Golf Course
Lynn Cowan of El Macero CC edges defending champion Jenelle Gomez by two strokes
 Lynne Cowan |
 Jenelle Gomez |
The assistant golf coach for the UC Davis Lady Aggies shot a four-over-par 76 for a 36-hole total of 149 (73-76). Coming into the day, Cowan held a slim, one-stroke lead over Gomez and knew she had to play well to claim victory.
“I wasn’t really keeping track of what Jenelle was doing,” the champion explained. “I just wanted to focus on my game. Yesterday I putted really well and I felt confident about my swing, so the goal was to continue that trend.”
The El Macero member arrived at her four-over-par, second-round score by bogeying four consecutive holes beginning on the thirteenth where she missed a four-foot uphill putt. The bogeys shrunk her once comfortable lead of six strokes to a much more unnerving two strokes with only two holes to play. However, Cowan calmly made par on 17 and 18 to seize the victory.
With all the recent media attention going toward younger players such as Michelle Wie, Morgan Pressel and Paula Creamer, Cowan’s win helped bring some of the attention back toward the more experienced veterans in women’s golf. “It’s good to win in a field with a lot of college players,” Cowan said. “Nobody cares about us (older players) anymore.”
Gomez, a rising San Jose State junior, is part of the younger generation garnering all the attention locally. The defending champion shot 151 (74-77) to finish in second place. A costly double-bogey on the par-4 eighth hole proved to be just enough to give Cowan her winning margin. The runner-up recently led her Broncos to the 2006 WAC Championship by winning the individual title and was named first-team All-WAC.
In the President’s flight, San Benito MAGA member Alicia Meiners’ net 149 (77-72) allowed her to come from behind in the final round, taking the title in a playoff with Sue Thompson of EWGA-SMN Handicap. Sandy Boyd, also of EWGA-SMN Handicap, ran away with the Director’s flight, holding onto her first-round lead and winning by nine strokes over runner-up Maureen Hughes. Boyd was under par both days, shooting 70-67 for a two-day total of 137.
NOTE: Story and photos courtesy Northern California Golf Association.
View scorecards for the Championship, President and Director flights.
Final Results
| Championship | Rd1 | Rd2 | Tot |
| Lynne Cowan, El Macero | 73 | 76 | 149 |
| Jenelle Gomez, Almaden | 74 | 77 | 151 |
| Stephanie Sendell, Co. Club Pbl Beach | 78 | 76 | 154 |
| Jessica Hazlett, Stanford | 78 | 78 | 156 |
| Julianna Uhrik, Spring Creek | 78 | 79 | 157 |
| Sandra Woodruff, Pasatiempo | 79 | 78 | 157 |
| Eva Monisteri, Poplar Creek | 80 | 82 | 162 |
| Elaine Harris, Lake Merced | 85 | 78 | 163 |
| Jane Irwin, Creekside | 83 | 82 | 165 |
| Lindsey Shean, Corral de Tierra | 82 | 83 | 165 |
| Lisa Bagley, Ridgemark | 81 | 85 | 166 |
| Jill Womble, Castlewood | 85 | 82 | 167 |
| Marsha Lutz, Laguna Seca | 86 | 82 | 168 |
| Megan Padua, Boundary Oak | 87 | 81 | 168 |
| Saana Rapakko, Cinnabar Hills | 85 | 83 | 168 |
| Samantha Trask, Napa Valley | 79 | 91 | 170 |
| Suzanne Kim, Crow Canyon | 83 | 87 | 170 |
| Brooke Green, Haggin Oaks | 84 | 91 | 175 |
| Keiko Fukuda, Lake Merced | 93 | 89 | 182 |
| Linda Reese, S.F. Bay Area EWGC | 94 | 95 | 189 |
| President | |||
| Alicia Meiners, MAGA | 77 | 72 | 149 |
| Sue Thompson, EWGA | 72 | 77 | 149 |
| Linda Rindt, EWGA | 80 | 71 | 151 |
| Kelsey Kerr, Silver Creek Valley | 78 | 79 | 157 |
| Maureen Earley, Rolmex Golf Club | 82 | 75 | 157 |
| Joan Kruse, Half Moon Bay | 79 | 78 | 157 |
| Joyce Baker, Teal Bend | 79 | 79 | 158 |
| Jeanette Chang, Sun Micro. Golf Assn. | 77 | 83 | 160 |
| Mary Holloway, Canyon Lakes | 77 | 83 | 160 |
| Hilary Ross, Riverbend | 79 | 85 | 164 |
| Christine Taylor, El Macero | 85 | 80 | 165 |
| Liz Frome, Indian Valley | 87 | 80 | 167 |
| Joyce Rochette, Empire Ranch | 92 | 79 | 171 |
| Margie Durham, Ladies o.t. Vineyard | 91 | 86 | 177 |
| Sonja Van Laar, Woodbridge | 94 | 88 | 182 |
| Director | |||
| Sandy Boyd, EWGA | 70 | 67 | 137 |
| Maureen Hughes, Fore Women | 75 | 71 | 146 |
| Mary Thornhill, Half Moon Bay | 75 | 73 | 148 |
| Sue Stryker, Rancho Canada | 81 | 71 | 152 |
| Linda Reid, Teal Bend | 76 | 77 | 153 |
| Joyce Glatt, Chardonnay | 81 | 72 | 153 |
| Janet Allaway, Boundary Oak | 77 | 77 | 154 |
| Susan Potter-Weiss, EWGA | 73 | 82 | 155 |
| Yvonne Williams, Fore Women | 78 | 80 | 158 |
| Diane Rasch, Ladies of the Vineyard | 87 | 72 | 159 |
| Stacey Baba, S.F. Bay Area EWGC | 78 | 83 | 161 |
| Jc Campbell, Teal Bend | 75 | 86 | 161 |
| Joan English, Canyon Lakes | 77 | 84 | 161 |
| Diana VolpiniAllen, Half Moon Bay | 83 | 78 | 161 |
About the NCGA Women's Amateur
The NCGA Women’s Amateur Championship is the association’s premier event for female golfers. Field limited to 96 eligible players between the championship and senior divisions. All female golfers with a handicap index of 7.4 or less (or 18.4 or less ...
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