LPGA T&CP National Championship
Mid-Pines Inn & Golf Club | Southern Pines, NC
Final-Round Notes | Sept. 6, 2017
Despite her 17-year career on the LPGA Tour, Wendy Doolan had never experienced the feeling of entering a final round with a lead. So it was understandable that the veteran player had some nerves entering Wednesday’s final round of the LPGA T&CP Championship, but she didn’t need to worry as she carded a final-round 74 to capture a five-shot victory, a $10,000 winner’s check and her first ever title in this championship.
“I feel grateful to be a part of the T&CP, and I feel grateful that there is an opportunity to play after my LPGA career and I’m enjoying the challenge of golf again,” Doolan said. “It’s nice to have my name on the trophy. I’m just more grateful to be a part of this organization and to have the opportunity to play again.”
Doolan came into the week with a little extra motivation after learning on the first day that a very close friend of hers named Herb had passed away.
“He was my age and I just had an attitude of gratitude all week that I had an opportunity to do what I loved to do,” Doolan said. “I think that there was a peace involved in that. It really wasn’t stressful. Maybe a little anxiety today based on my forward thinking but it was a fun week. I’m just in an attitude of gratitude right now.”
Doolan’s three-day total of 4-under 212 was five shots better than runner-up Joanna Coe (Baltimore, Md.), who shot a final-round 73 to record her best-ever finish in this Championship. And finishing tied for third at 6-over-par were Heather Angell (Winston-Salem, N.C.) and Karen Paolozzi (Atlanta, Ga.).
The victory for Doolan also earned her a spot in next year’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. The top-eight finishers in the Champ earned their way into the event and for Doolan, the opportunity to continue competing at a high level is so important to her current role.
“I like to play because it keeps me current with my students. I teach all levels, from beginners all the way through Tour players. To play, when someone says to me I felt like this or they call me and say I’m five shots in front going into the last round, now I’ll know how they feel because I didn’t until today. I’d never been in the lead before going into the last round. That was a cool experience. But competing keeps me current with my students and helps me be a better teacher, I think.”
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CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION LEADERBOARD
Player R1 R2 R3 To Par
Wendy Doolan 71 67 74 -2
Joanna Coe 72 72 73 +1
Heather Angell 74 74 74 +6
Karen Paolozzi 76 73 73 +6
Jean Bartholomew 77 75 71 +7
Alison Curdt 75 78 74 +11
Ashley Grier 75 73 79 +11
Charlotta Sorenstam 77 73 78 +12
TICKETS PUNCHED TO KEMPER LAKES
The top-8 finishers in the Championship Division all earned spots in the 2018 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Kemper Lakes Golf Club: Doolan, Coe, Angell, Paolozzi, Jean Bartholomew (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.), Alison Curdt (Woodland Hills, Calif.), Ashley Grier (Springfield, Penn.), and Charlotta Sorenstam (Davenport, Fla.).
Doolan, Paolozzi, and Bartholomew all made appearances at the major championship in June at Olympia Fields Country Club based on their finishes at last year’s National Championship.
HIRST WINS TITLE AT HOME
Playing at home can sometimes come with extra pressure but for Charlaine Hirst, the opportunity to compete in the LPGA T&CP Championship in her backyard was one that she relished. And it showed with her play all week.
The local teaching professional from nearby Pinehurst won the Challenge Division on Wednesday, shooting a final-round 78 to complete a seven-shot victory over fellow North Carolinian Joellyn Crooks (Fuquay Varina, N.C.) and to take home a $3,000 winner’s check.
“It has been great being home, having all of my friends and fans that were out here, including my mom, who got to see me play,” Hirst said. “It’s been a very relaxed place to be. It’s been a fantastic week.”
Hirst came into the final day of play with a seven-shot lead but started to feel a little bit of pressure after she bogeyed four of her first six holes. Still, she managed to recover and played her remaining 12 holes in just 2-over-par.
“I started thinking and that’s what I haven’t done all week,” Hirst said. “It was nice to finally settle down. I think for a lot of us we get up once a year and this is it for us. We’re not playing a lot of golf. We’re out teaching; we’re out with our members; perhaps playing lessons is all we get out on the course. So this is a big one, and it’s fun to be able to come away with the win. Now I’m going to go enjoy this win.”
CHALLENGE DIVISION LEADERBAORD
Player R1 R2 R3 To Par
Charlaine Hirst 75 77 78 +14
Joellyn Crooks 78 81 78 +21
Susan Fasoldt 84 81 75 +24
Liz Cooper 80 84 78 +26
Jennifer Cully 84 81 79 +28
JOHNSTON-FORBES CAPTURES FIRST-EVER SENIOR TITLE
For nearly all of the competitors in the Senior Division of the LPGA T&CP National Championship, it appeared as it North Carolina native Cathy Johnston-Forbes was playing a different golf course. Johnston-Forbes continued her impressive play in Wednesday’s final round at Mid Pines, shooting a 2-over 74 to complete a nine-shot victory over runner-up Sherry Andonian-Smith (Parker, Colo.). This was Johnston-Forbes’ first win in the Senior Division, which earned her $8,000, and it came in her first time competing in this category.
“I love Pinehurst, I’ve been coming here since I was a junior golfer,” Johnston-Forbes said. “It’s nice to come here and just feel comfortable, feel at home. I felt like I had an advantage because I had played here quite a bit so I was probably was just more comfortable than a lot of other players.”
Johnston-Forbes (Kitty Hawk, N.C.) put together a great week with rounds of 70-70-74 to capture the Senior Division and overall she was pleased with her play.
“I played very smart,” Johnston-Forbes said. “I hit the ball very solid. When I got into trouble today, I just made sure that I didn’t make it worse by compounding the mistakes. I made a couple bogeys but I was very pleased with the way I hit it. I could have made some more putts but who can complain?”
The top-five finishers in the Seniors division qualified for the 2018 Senior LPGA Championship at French Lick Resort.
SENIOR DIVISION LEADERBOARD
Player R1 R2 R3 To Par
Cathy Johnston-Forbes 70 70 74 -2
Sherry Andonian-Smith 77 72 74 +7
Barbara Moxness 73 76 75 +8
Maggie Will 77 75 72 +8
Marlene Davis 74 75 76 +9
Congratulations Wendy!!! I just wish we had more events….for active but older gals….not that I am admitting how much older! 😉 Diane Patterson
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Well Done…By ALL! 🙂
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