Papatolis, Darrington extend advantages in PNGA Senior, Super Senior Women’s Amateurs
Renton, Wash. – Tina Papatolis (Issaquah, Wash.) shot a 4-over par 75 to continue to lead the 37th PNGA Senior Women’s Amateur at 9-over par, while Karen Darrington (Boise) shot a 6-over par 77 and continues to lead the 15th PNGA Super Senior Women’s Amateur at 13-over.
Both championships are being held this week, Sept. 8-10, at Fairwood Golf & Country Club in Renton, Wash.
With two 18-hole rounds complete, one more will follow. Conditions Wednesday were partly cloudy with temperatures in the 70s, though wind gusts of up to 10 miles-per-hour made for modest scoring, as in the first round.
Championship Links
After opening with a 5-over round of 76 that included a triple-bogey 8 on the ninth hole, Papatolis grinded through a more consistent round Wednesday. She made the turn in 38, and a birdie, six pars and two bogeys made for a second nine of 37 and her 75 total. At 9-over for the championship, Papatolis is five strokes clear of Sarah Gallagher (Canton, Ga., +14) heading into the final round. Those two players are the only in the senior division to record two sub-80 rounds.
Papatolis, newly eligible for senior competition this year, has an established track record in mid-amateur competition. She won the PNGA Women’s Mid-Amateur in 2019 and 2023 and won the Washington Women’s Mid-Am in 2019, 2025 and 2026. Earlier this year, Papatolis placed in a tie for second at the 2026 Washington Senior Women’s Amateur.
Behind Papatolis and Gallagher are June Zhang (Coquitlam, B.C., +19), Michelle Hood (Sammamish, Wash., +20) and Sharon Lorenzo (Seattle, +21).
In the Super Senior division, Darrington started with a three shot lead and expanded it thoroughly with smooth play. One-under through her first four holes, Darrington made the turn in 38 and avoided particularly high scores on the back en route to a 39 and total of 77, her second sub-80 round of the week.
Darrington has never won a PNGA title but is one of the greatest players her home state of Idaho has produced. She has over 20 victories in IGA competition and has won its state Women’s Amateur, Mid-Am and Senior Am at least six times each. With second-place Kathryn Wright recording an 86, Darrington now leads the super senior division by 12 strokes.
Marcia Fisher (Molalla, Ore., +26) is third, Kyoungsook Cho (Easton, Wash., +27) is fourth and Sunny Sue Kim (Bellevue, Wash., +28) is fifth.
These championships are two of 11 major, regional, amateur championships for men, women, juniors and seniors conducted annually by the PNGA throughout the Northwest.
