The team of Kelly Gardner and Kim Titus withstood the furious final round charges of four past champions to claim the 15th Washington State Women's Best-Ball Championship, held at Meridian Valley Country Club in Kent, Wash.
Gardner, of Gig Harbor, Wash. and Titus, of Anacortes, Wash. shot two consecutive rounds of 1-under par 71, which was good enough for a one stroke victory over defending champions Ginny Burkey of Fircrest and Lisa Smego of Olympia, who had shot a 3-over par 75 in yesterday's first round but came roaring back with a 4-under 68 in today's final round. In third place, three strokes behind Gardner and Titus, was the team of Leslie Folsom and Jane Harris, both of Tukwila, who had won this championship an astonishing eight times; their final round of 3-under 69 coming up short after a first round of 76.
This is the first team title for Gardner and Titus.
"Yesterday was a challenge," said Titus. "With the wet weather, the course was soggy and we had to put our egos aside and hit more club than we would normally hit. But it worked out. We ham-and-egged it pretty well." In today's round, the team was 3-under at the turn. "But then the wheels kind of came off," said Gardner. "We didn't know where we stood (in the standings), but we knew we were up there, so our whole game plan on the back side was 'fairways and green.' When we finished we were a little surprised to see we were still up there." The duo shot even-par on the final four holes to clinch the title. (Watch their full interview here.)
Finishing in first place in the net division, with a two day total of 12-under par 132, was the team of Carrie Jacobson of Bellevue and Janet Dobrowolski of Renton.
The two-day championship, conducted by the Washington State Golf Association, included many of the top women amateur golfers from Washington and Northern Idaho. The format for the championship is a 36-hole Four-Ball stroke play (gross and net). The field was divided into flights based on team handicap. The popular championship again comprised a full field.
