Jackson, Suttler take home Georgia Senior Women's titles

In a come-from-behind victory, Deb Jackson walked away with the Georgia Senior Women’s Amateur title on Tuesday after a second-round 75 at Green Island Country Club in Columbus, Ga. Jackson overtook Diane Chancellor after starting the day trailing Chancellor by two. She also managed to hold off Brenda Pictor, who won five straight Georgia Senior Women’s titles from 2009-2013 (and also won in 2007 and 2017). This is the second consecutive year that Pictor has finished runner-up.

In the final round, Jackson pulled even with Chancellor within the first two holes. A few hiccups followed in the form of bogeys at Nos. 3 and 4 plus a double bogey at No. 9, but a birdie at No. 11 righted the ship.

Jackson finished at 12 over, three ahead of Pictor and four ahead of Chancellor. This is Jackson’s first individual GSGA title.

“After two holes I was all square with yesterday’s leader, so I really just wanted to make pars,” she told the GSGA. “If you make pars, you can do well. I made a lot of pars, couple bogeys, few birdies, but it was enough.”

Jackson’s experience mostly has been in team sports until she took up golf in her 30s.

“I get really psyched about team stuff, but this individual stuff isn’t so bad either. I kind of like it,” she said.

In the super senior division, Bobbie Suttler of Marietta, Ga., finished with rounds of 76-80 for a seven-shot victory on Ginette Spinucci. Back-to-back double bogeys at Nos. 13 and 14 threatened to derail her run, but a birdie at No. 15 helped her finish strong.

“My mindset was try not to be nervous and to try to just hit fairways and greens,” she said. “Somewhere on the back nine I was leaking profusely. I was dropping strokes. I got really nervous but I got it back together and did enough to win. It means the world to me just to be able to win this and certainly back-to-back is a big bonus.”