PNGA Hall of Famer Lara Tennant wins Scottish Senior Women’s Open
Lara Tennant of Portland, Ore. edged out Scotland’s Valerie Thomas on the second extra playoff hole to win the 2024 Scottish Senior Women’s Open Championship.
In tough and testing conditions over three days of action at Old Course Ranfurly, Renfrewshire (located just west of Glasgow), both players finished tied on a 54-hole aggregate score of 226 (+10).
Tennant posted rounds of 76, 77 and 73 while Thomas matched that tally with rounds of 75, 78 and 73.
In the playoff, both players made par threes on the first extra hole, before Tennant held her nerve to make a par four on the second playoff hole.
When Thomas failed to get up and down from the front edge, the 57-year-old from Oregon was able to celebrate the win with husband and caddie Bob by her side.
Tennant adds the Scottish open crown to the three U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and one British Senior Women’s Amateur national amateur titles she has claimed in a glorious run since 2018. Tennant was inducted into the Pacific Northwest Golf Hall of Fame in 2022, and is a 5-time PNGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year.
Speaking after the win, Tennant said: “It’s right up there with previous wins. It’s special any time you win a national title and I really enjoyed this one. During the play-off I tried not to think about the fact that I’d let it slip towards the end of my round. I just focused on pars – in a play-off anyone can win and Valerie is such a good golfer I knew I’d have to have a bit of luck.”
Before Tennant took charge on the final day, there were a number of twists and turns in the event which this year reverted from a stroke play/match play combination to a straight stroke play event.
The round one lead was held by another American, Jayne Pardus, who took a one-shot lead into round two. Barton was in second spot with Sophie Beardsall a further stroke back.
The second day was dominated by some strong play from the home players in sometimes brutal conditions.
A howling wind and bursts of rain tested the mettle of the competitors but brought out the fighting spirit in West Lothian’s Margo Gardner.
After an opening round of 75 (+3) the second round score of 76 might not have been as good on paper, but it represented excellent play on grass.
Going into the final 18 holes, only six shots separated 36-hole leader Gardner from Crail’s Aileen Baker in tenth spot.
However, it was Tennant who took the championship by the scruff of the neck with birdies at the second, sixth and ninth. By reaching the turn in 3-under par, Tennant held a two-shot cushion over Moffat who had clung on thanks, in part, to a chip-in birdie on the eighth.
As Moffat faltered, three bogeys in Tennant’s final five holes opened the door for Thomas who had posted the clubhouse lead at +10.
However, Tennant was able to regroup and get over the line in the sudden death shootout helped by her husband on the bag.
She added: “My husband always helps me because there was a lot of math going on this week with the elevation and the winds – we’re not accustomed to this in Oregon or California! We have five children and he’s always helped me and cheered me on and there’s a lot of kudos to him.”
