Burkey and Norman coast to victory at PNGA Women’s Senior Team Championship; Ryan and Douthit win third Super Senior title
Ginny Burkey and Leilani Norman of Eugene, Ore. successfully defended their title at the 36th Pacific Northwest Women’s Senior Team Championship, coasting to an eight shot victory; while Mary Ryan of Renton, Wash. and Sun Douthit of Steilacoom, Wash. completed a final round comeback to win the 3rd Women’s Super Senior Team Championship, their third title in a row.
Championship Links:
Both championships were held concurrently at Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton Wash, and are being conducted by the PNGA. Today’s final rounds were played on the Gold Mountain Olympic Course.
This marks the eighth time that Burkey has won the Women’s Senior Team title, having won with three different playing partners. Norman was named the 2015 PNGA Senior Women’s Player of the Year.
Finishing in second place with a 54-hole score of 2-over par is the team of Gretchen Klein of Hoquiam, Wash. and Yasue Alkins of Steilacoom, Wash.
Burkey and Norman entered the day with a comfortable five-shot lead at 6-under overall and held steady with a closing round of even-par 72 in the Four-Ball stroke play (Best-Ball) format to seal the deal.
“We birdied the first two holes, so that kind of set the tone. And then she [Burkey] makes a hole-in-one on seven,” said Norman speaking about their opening round.
According to the both teammates, the key to victory was their play in the Chapman format during Tuesday’s second round. “The Chapman is always hard, and it seemed like we ham and egged it on that one the best,” said Burkey. “Anytime you’re even-par in a Chapman you’re doing well and to be 3-under I thought was pretty exceptional.”
In the Women’s Super Senior Team, Ryan and Douthit began their final round in a tie for second, two shots back of the leaders and combined for an impressive closing round of even-par 72 in the Four-Ball stroke play (Best-Ball) format to leap to the top of the leader board for a seven shot victory.
Finishing in second place is the team Mary O’Donnell of Bellevue, Wash. and Carol Dick of Lakewood, Wash.
This is the third year in a row Ryan and Douthit have won the championship, making them the only pair to have won the PNGA Women’s Super Senior Team title. “We’ll be back in the Super Senior category,” said Ryan.
Both championships consisted of two-person teams, and were contested over 54 holes. The first and third round of each championship was played in Four-Ball stroke play, while the second round for each championship was in the Chapman format. Entrants in the Senior championship must be 50 years of age or older prior to start of play in the first round, and 65 years of age for the Super Senior championship.
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