Prescott Starts Strong In Title Defense
RUTHERFORDTON, N.C. (August 24, 2021) -- The Carolinas Golf Association conducted the first round of the 23rd Carolinas Senior Women’s Amateur Championship at Cleghorn Golf and Sports Club, in Rutherfordton, N.C. on August 24, 2021. The Championship Division competed at 5,066 yards (35-36--71), while the Carolinas Division competed at 4,651 yards (35-36--71).
Related: Championship Web Site | Full Field | Starting Times | Scoring | History | Photos
In what was a Championship test at Cleghorn Golf and Sports Club, Pam Prescott of Piedmont, S.C. outpaced the field to start off the 23rd Carolinas Senior Women’s Amateur Championship.
“The golf course is set up nicely,” said Prescott. “The greens roll perfectly. It’s in the best shape of any golf course I’ve been at in a long time.”
The defending champion in this event due to an impressive one stroke victory last year, Prescott came out firing today in Rutherfordton, N.C., as she rolled to an opening round of 1-under-par 70. Prescott began her day off of the tenth tee, and had a pedestrian even par front nine with a birdie on the Par-3 12th, and dropping one shot at the Par-5 14th.
“I’ve never had bragging rights in my pocket to think about,” said Prescott. “If it happens it happens, if it doesn’t it doesn’t. If it does happen it would really make me feel validated. That I belong. I want to feel that way for myself and be proud of myself.”
Prescott went to work on her back nine, carding three birdies in the nine hole stretch on holes three, five and seven. She continued to play her game, a version of risk and reward golf that paid off Tuesday.
“I was hitting some iron shots pretty close,” said Prescott. “The greens were great so if you could figure out the break you were gonna make birdies. I was just trying to have a good time and not worry about what I was shooting.”
In solo second is Kerry Rutan of Daniel Island, S.C. who carded a solid round of 2-over-par 73. Rutan played consistent, steady golf all day, carding one birdie on the Par-4 1st, and staying even keel with 14 pars on her scorecard. Rutan is in the middle of a terrific stretch of golf as well, as she finished within the top five last week at the North and South Senior Women’s Amateur at Pinehurst.
In third place is Jayne Pardus of Mount Pleasant, S.C. as she opened the Championship with a first round 3-over-par 74. Pardus carded two birdies on her day, taking full advantage of holes three and 12. Pardus also has history in this event as a past champion, as she is two years removed from her 2019 victory.
Rounding out the top five is Pat Brogden of Garner, N.C. who sits in fourth at 5-over-par, while Ramona Jackson of Wilmington N.C. sits in fifth place alone, after an opening round of a 6-over-par 77. Brogden needs no introduction in this event, as she is a former champion six times over, with her last victory coming in 2017.
Brogden is also in the midst of a great stretch of golf, coming off a victory in last week’s North and South Senior Women’s Amateur, with a three day total of 9-over-par getting her into a playoff against Mina Hardin.
In the Carolinas Division in this event, Tammy Johnson of Taylorsville, N.C. leads the pack after an opening round of a 5-over-par 76. Johnson carded one of three birdies on the day on the Par-4 6th hole to give her a three shot lead.
Lee Heelan of Tryon, N.C. sits in second place of the Carolinas Division after an opening 8-over-par 79. Rounding out the top three in the Carolinas is Betty Armbruster of Simpsonville, S.C. as she carded a round of 9-over-par 80
23rd Carolinas Senior Women’s Amateur Championship
Cleghorn Golf and Sports Club, Rutherfordton, N.C.
First Round Results
Championship Division
Position | Player | City, State | To Par | R1 |
1 | Pam Prescott | Piedmont, SC | -1 | 70 |
2 | Kerry Rutan | Daniel Island, SC | +2 | 73 |
3 | Jayne Pardus | Mount pleasant, SC | +3 | 74 |
4 | Pat Brogden | Garner, NC | +5 | 76 |
5 | Ramona Jackson | Wilmington, NC | +6 | 77 |
T6 | Renee Rezzetano | Hilton Head Island, SC | +7 | 78 |
T6 | Carol Hammond | Bluffton, SC | +7 | 78 |
T6 | Toni Notaro | Pinehurst, NC | +7 | 78 |
T9 | Sandra St Onge | Newland, NC | +8 | 79 |
T9 | Jeanie Atkinson | Columbia, SC | +8 | 79 |
T11 | Angela Stewart | Greenville, NC | +9 | 80 |
T11 | Lee Burton | Orangeburg, SC | +9 | 80 |
T11 | June Wang | Huntersville, NC | +9 | 80 |
T11 | Kathy Binkley | Cornelius, NC | +9 | 80 |
T11 | Natalie Huff | Elgin, SC | +9 | 80 |
16 | Suzy Ellison | Columbia, SC | +10 | 81 |
T17 | Patty Moore | Pinehurst, NC | +11 | 82 |
T17 | Kendra Muir | Pinehurst, NC | +11 | 82 |
19 | Sarah Phillips-Durst | Pinehurst, NC | +13 | 84 |
T20 | Janis Romeo | Charlotte, NC | +14 | 85 |
T20 | Lori Teague | Taylorsville, NC | +14 | 85 |
T22 | Kim Clarke | Newton, NC | +15 | 86 |
T22 | Anne Washington | Conway, SC | +15 | 86 |
24 | Evelyn Larrimore | Wingate, NC | +16 | 87 |
T25 | Marilyn Hays | Durham, NC | +18 | 89 |
T25 | Barbara Anderson | Greenville, SC | +18 | 89 |
T25 | Lisa Mooneyham | Graham, NC | +18 | 89 |
28 | Cathy Martin | Johns Island, SC | +19 | 90 |
29 | Jennifer Hjalmquist | Cary, NC | +20 | 91 |
T30 | Sheila Ryan | Laurinburg, NC | +21 | 92 |
T30 | Julie Snider | Columbia, SC | +21 | 92 |
32 | Louise Givens | Columbia, SC | +23 | 94 |
33 | Karen Sennett | Stanley, NC | +24 | 95 |
T34 | Suzann Bartley | Columbia, SC | +25 | 96 |
T34 | Ann Miller | Chapel Hill, NC | +25 | 96 |
36 | Lucille Ray | Rock Hill, SC | +26 | 97 |
37 | Patricia Cuero Nielsen | Charlotte, NC | +29 | 100 |
Carolinas Division
Position | Player | City, State | To Par | R1 |
1 | Tammy Johnson | Taylorsville, NC | +5 | 76 |
2 | Lee Heelan | Tryon, NC | +8 | 79 |
3 | Betty Armbruster | Simpsonville, SC | +9 | 80 |
4 | Julie Shore | Raleigh, NC | +10 | 81 |
5 | Heather Tapp | Greenville, SC | +14 | 85 |
6 | Kristen Rooke | Greenville, SC | +15 | 86 |
T7 | Lelia Reynolds | Greenville, SC | +16 | 87 |
T7 | Cynthia Andereck | Mt. Pleasant, SC | +16 | 87 |
T7 | Frances Garber | Florence, SC | +16 | 87 |
T10 | Susan Vercauteren | Charlotte, NC | +17 | 88 |
T10 | Kathy McCurdy | Spartanburg, SC | +17 | 88 |
12 | Karin Wu | Charlotte, NC | +20 | 91 |
13 | Dana Halliday | Spartanburg, SC | +21 | 92 |
T14 | Patricia Reid | Greenville, SC | +23 | 94 |
T14 | Priscilla Hoffman | Greenville, SC | +23 | 94 |
16 | Carole Stone | Blythewood, SC | +25 | 96 |
17 | Debe Schwedler | Travelers Rest, SC | +26 | 97 |
T18 | Stephanie Cuomo | Raleigh, NC | +27 | 98 |
T18 | Carol Gislason | Hendersonville, NC | +27 | 98 |
20 | Annette Ferrell | Greenville, SC | +31 | 102 |
21 | Aloma Smith | Greenville, SC | +32 | 103 |
22 | Lauren Dennis | Mount Pleasant, SC | +47 | 118 |
WD | Missy Crosby | Mt. Pleasant, SC | - | WD |
WD | Louise Brunson | Charleston, SC | - | WD |
Cleghorn Golf and Sports Club offers a spectacular version of mountain golf in the Western part of North Carolina. A George Cobb design, Cleghorn is located at the Tryon Resort and has been called one of the best golf courses in North Carolina by the PGA. Golf Digest has given Cleghorn plenty of love as well, naming it on their best places to play list.
Schedule of rounds:
Wednesday, August 25
Final Round, 18 Holes of Stroke Play (Shotgun)
Lunch and Award Ceremony immediately to follow conclusion of play
About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA)
The CGA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization that was founded in 1909 to promote and to protect the game of golf in the Carolinas by providing competitions, education, support and benefits to golf clubs and golfers. The CGA is the second largest golf association in the country with over 700 member clubs represented by nearly 150,000 individuals.
The CGA annually conducts 48 championships and five team match competitions for men, women, juniors, and seniors. It also runs over 150 One-Day (net and gross) events as well as qualifying for USGA national championships. The CGA serves golf in the Carolinas with numerous programs such as: the USGA Handicap System; tournament management software and support; course measuring and course/slope ratings; agronomy consultation; answers about the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, and Handicapping; Carolinas Golf Magazine; Interclub series; Tarheel Youth Golf Association; Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame; expense assistance for USGA Junior and Girls' Junior qualifiers from the Carolinas; and the Carolinas Golf Foundation (CGF). The CGF has distributed nearly $2,000,000 since 1977 to benefit Carolinas' golf initiatives including junior and women's programs.
For more information about the CGA, visit our website.
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