A bogey-free, 4-under-par 68 by Maggie Scott was just too much for the remainder of the field in Friday’s final 18 holes of the 2010 City Women’s Golf Championships at Chatata Valley Golf Course.
Scott said it was perhaps her best back-to-back rounds ever in the City Championship, although Friday’s victory was her 30th title in the 52 years of the tournament.
Scott’s two-day score of 4-under-par 140 (72-68) was seven strokes better than defending champion and Cleveland Country Club partner Linda Mullins who relinquishes the crown after a two-year reign.
“When someone throws a 68 at you, you have to show her some respect,” Mullins said of Friday’s loss to her longtime friend and playing partner. “I played well,” Mullins said of her even-par 72 (which included a lost stroke on a provisional ball). “I just couldn’t catch up with Maggie today.”
Scott said she was “proud of the chance to play in this tournament all these years.” She won her first City Championship in 1973 and has been a consistent winner ever since. Even with her 30 trophies, she said Friday’s round was something special.
Scott and Mullins will both be playing this weekend in the Golf Capital of Tennessee Women’s Open in Fairfield Glade. They expect the competition to be strong with the inclusion of the best women golfers from across the state and some outstanding collegiate players.
These two steller golfers agreed Friday that they have been very good for each other. They said their games, which are very similar, and the camaraderie they have developed (along with Cleveland Country Club member Lisa Daubner) has helped them improve their play over the past few years.
Daubner finished in third place in the Championship Flight with a 78-84 — 162 total.
Young Chelsea Rakestraw, a Lee University golfer, had a solid 5-over-par 77 Friday to win the First Flight. The former Bradley Central standout fired an 81 in the opening round for a 159 total. Rita Hannah was at 166 for second place and Debbie Patterson was a shot back in third with a 167.
Jaton Wood set the pace in the Second Flight with a two-round total of 184. Donna Anderson was second with a 185 and Delores Haynie finished third with a 186.
Winning the Third Flight was Judy Ozawa with her 102-100 for a 202 total. Mary Lou Miller was second at 203 and Wanda Evans a stroke back at 204 for third.
The Cleveland Country Club team of Scott, Mullins, Daubner and Anderson easily outdistanced Chatata Valley to win the 2010 team trophy.
In accepting the championship trophy once again, Scott also received the 2010 Medalist Award for her even-par 72 Thursday at the country club.
Scott took a three-stroke lead into Friday’s round, and quickly extended her advantage. A four-foot birdie at the first hole pushed her out to a four-stroke margin.
The lead jumped to six strokes on the second hole. Mullins hit her approach to the par-three green to the right and it fell up against a tree. She chipped a few feet away from the tree and left her third shot well short of the pin. Two putts gave her a double-bogey five and she trailed Scott by half a dozen strokes.
Mullins played almost level with Scott the rest of the way. She recovered strokes with birdies at holes 3, 6 and 18 for her even-par score. She had another bogey on a provisional ball at the long, par-4 fifteenth.
Scott was consistent from start to finish. She opened with the birdie at No. 1 and added birdies at holes 9, 11 and 16. She missed a short birdie putt at the 18th.
The only trouble this year’s City Champion had was on the relatively short par-4 seventeenth.
She pushed her approach to the right, front corner of the green and chipped 18 to 19 feet short of the cup. Her putt made one final turn to fall into the hole, preserving the bogey-free round.
Tournament scores:
CHAMPIONSHIP FLIGHT: 2010 City Champion — Maggie Scott (72-68 —140). 2 — Linda Mullins (75-72 — 147). 3 - Lisa Daubner (78-84 — 162).
FIRST FLIGHT: 1 — Chelsea Rakestraw (81-77 — 159). 2 — Rita Hannah (85-81 — 166). Debbie Patterson (81-86 — 167).
SECOND FLIGHT: 1 — Jaton Wood (96-88 — 184). 2 — Donna Anderson ( 95-90 — 185). 3 — Delores Haynie (93-93 — 186). Others: Melanie Strassburg (98-89 — 187) and Beth Harper (97-91 — 188),
THIRD FLIGHT: 1 — Judy Ozawa (102-100 — 202). 2 — Mary Lou Miller (100-103 — 203). 3 — Wanda Evans (102-102 — 204). Others: (tie) — Pam Morrow (101-106 — 207) and Carrie Davis (107-100 — 207), and Cheri Wood (112-100 — 212).
JUNIOR DIVISION: 2010 Junior Champion — Lydia Triplett (85-80 — 163). 2 — Cortnee Young (90-76 — 166). 3 — Katie Bishop (86-83 — 169). 4 — Sloane Rakestraw (93-85 — 178).
