Final Round: Reynolds Prevails

Round Two: Reynolds leads by two

Round One: Coble leads by two

Final Results: All Flights

Other Winners

Final Scores:
Champion Tees
Forward Tees

 

 

 

Georgia Women's Golf Association

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Jean Reynolds: 2006 Georgia Women's Amateur Champion!

The Atlanta Athletic Club - September 12 - 14, 2006

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Final Round

With perfect weather on a perfect golf course, Jean Reynolds perfected her game to become the winner of the 77th Georgia Women's Amateur Championship. Ironically enough, Reynolds' best scoring round of 69 came the day before, which started with an inch and half of rain and ended in darkness after a four-hour rain delay and a prolonged six-hour round. On the worst of weather days, Jean Reynolds played her best and took the lead from defending champion Laura Coble and never relinquished it. Reynolds posted an even score of 72 in the final round to best Coble by five strokes and third place finisher Stacey Easley by 17 strokes.

Six-time Georgia Women's Amateur Champion Janet Olp (right) poses with first-time winner, Jean Reynolds. Reynolds carded a birdie and an eagle in the final round to capture the 2006 Georgia Women's Amatuer Championship at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Duluth.

Of the host site, Reynolds said, "The Atlanta Athletic Club is such a great golf course. Even when it was so wet yesterday, the course was still very playable and it was pretty easy to score. Today the weather was perfect and the golf course was really fun to play."

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The ten top finishers in the tournament include:

Rank	Name, Hometown	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
1	Jean Reynolds, Newnan	70	69	72	211
2	Laura Coble, Augusta	68	73	75	216
3	Stacy Easley, Stockbridge	78	77	73	228
4	Patti Huxford, Cumming	74	78	79	231
5	Claudeen Lindberg, Atlanta	77	80	83	240
6	Christy Cheek, Eastman	76	81	83	240
7	Charlotte F Grant, Greensboro	78	80	82	240
8	Lori M. Whitaker, Cumming	77	84	81	242
9	Darlene Werhnyak, Lawrenceville	82	84	79	245
10	Patricia J Koch, Savannah	83	84	79	246

During the Championship, the GWGA conducts a simultaneous tournament from the Forward Tees, where players compete for the Francis Rich Memorial Trophy. For the second straight year, Alice Richardson of Atlanta took top honors from the Forward Tees, but only after a three hole play-off with Susan Bush of Savannah.

The top ten finishes in the Forward Tees tournament include:

Rank	Name, Hometown	Round 1	Round 2	Round 3	Total
1	Alice Richardson, Alpharetta	85	82	83	250
2	Susan G. Bush, Savannah	78	87	85	250
3	Sherry Gelo, Peachtree City	82	88	82	252
4	Jane Barrick, Savannah	84	86	87	257
5	Sherrie Tindle, Alpharetta	82	91	84	257
6	Gwen W. Young, Cochran	86	84	88	258
7	Donna Eaton, Greensboro	85	85	88	258
8	Louise Beaudoin, Alpharetta	80	94	86	260
9	Di R. Scott, Atlanta	85	82	94	261
10	Eleanor J. Graham, Savannah	88	88	86	262

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Alice Richardson receives the Francis Rich Memorial Trophy from tournament director Sherrie Tindle. Richardson won the Forward Tees division in a three hole, aggregate score playoff with Susan Bush of Savannah.

Round 2

Round two of the 77th Georgia Women's Amateur Championship took a long time to get started, but the competition quickly gained momentum as Jean Reynolds gained the advantage over defending champion Laura Coble. On wet and sloppy fairways, Reynolds fell to three strokes back when Coble birdied her second hole of play, the par-3 11th. Reynolds stayed steady when Coble made bogey on the 12th, carding par-birdie-birdie-par-birdie over the next five holes while Coble posted two bogeys and three pars over the same territory. At the end of nine holes, Reynolds led Coble by one stroke, adding one bogey for a 34 before making the turn.

Jean Reynolds tees off in the first round, when threatening skies held out until the second round and delayed the start by four hours. Reynolds stayed focused on her game, shooting four birdies and only one bogey to take the lead going into the final day.

Reynolds continued her steady play over the next nine holes, with one birdie and all pars for a 35, while Coble shot two birdies and two bogeys to come out even at 36. When the rain and the round was over, Jean Reynolds was two strokes ahead for the tournament at 5 under par 139.

Reynolds is one of the top amateur players in Georgia, having been awarded the 2000 GSGA Player of the Year; Georgia Girls State Champion in 2000, 2001, and 2002; and GSGA Women's Top 60 Champion in 2003 and 2005. Coble is trying for her fifth State Amateur Championship, to come within one win of Janet Olp, who won six times between 1981 and 1997.

Rounding out the top ten from the Championship tees are:

Round 1

The first round of the 77th Georgia Women's Amateur Championship featured two eagles and ten birdies among the top three contenders. Defending Champion Laura Coble of Augusta fired a 4-under par 68 to lead Jean Reynolds of Newnan by two strokes. Reynolds was one stroke up after four holes, until Coble holed out from the fairway on the 339-yard par 4 fifth hole. Both players bogied the par 3 8th hole, leaving Coble one stroke ahead at the turn. Coble's 18th hole eagle put her two strokes ahead of Reynolds' score of 2-under par 70. Although not playing in the same group, 2002 GWGA Champion Patti Huxford carded a 74, and rounds out the top three players. Coble is playing for her fifth state amateur championship, just one short of the record held by Janet Olp, who holds six championships over a 16-year period between 1981 and 1997.

Laura Coble (r) and Jean Reynolds shake hands on the 18th green as Charlotte Grant (l) and Christy Cheek look on. Coble pulled ahead to 4-under par with her eagle on the 449-year par 5 finishing hole.

Rounding out the top ten after the first round are Christy Cheek at 76, Claudeen Lindberg and Lori Whitaker at 77, Jodie Shepard, Stacy Easley, and Charlotte Grant at 78, and Ginette Spinucci and Elaine Carsel at 80.

The competition from the Forward tees is also strong, with Susan Bush and Sally Sprengel of Savannah leading the field with 78 and 80, respectively.

The 54-hole tournament features two rounds of qualifying play, followed by flighted competition on the third day. The player with the lowest 54-hole score playing from the Championship tees is the Georgia Women's Amateur Champion.

This year's tournament is being hosted by the Atlanta Athletic Club (AAC) in Duluth on the Riverside Course. The Championship tees are set to 5920 yards with a course rating of 75.0 and a slope of 136. The Forward tees are playing 5342 yards with a course rating of 72.4 and a slope of 131. The AAC has a long history of hosting top-notch tournaments, having hosted the 1976 U.S. Open, and the 1981 and 2001 PGA Championships on its Highlands Course and the 1990 U.S. Women's Open on its Riverside Course. The Club is scheduled to host its third PGA Championship in 2011. Famous members of the AAC include golfers Bobby Jones, Charles R. Yates, and Alexa Stirling.

About the Atlanta Athletic Club, the GWGA Board of Directors, contestants, and spectators were unanimous in their accolades for the quality of not just the course, but the hospitality extended to the club's guests. Said one long-time GWGA contestant, "The Atlanta Athletic Club staff and members have gone out of their way to make me feel welcome here. They've treated me like a member!"

GWGA Tournament Director and incoming President Sherrie Tindle agreed. "The GWGA Board of Directors wishes to express its heartfelt thanks for the staff, members, and volunteers who helped make this an exceptional championship tournament. It will long be remembered as one of the finest."

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Tournament Results: Flight Winners

Championship Tees

	Championship Flight A First: Jean Reynolds, Newnan Second: Laura Coble, Augusta Third: Stacy Easley, Stockbridge
Championship Flight B First: Darlene Werhnyak, Lawrenceville Second: Patricia J Koch, Savannah Third: Elaine Carsel, Athens
	Flight 1 First: Leslie Elkins, Roswell Second: Elaine Montano, Augusta Third: Debbie Blount, Atlanta (pictured)
Flight 2 First: Mary Ann Arico, Dunwoody Second: Sydney Dunning, Marietta (pictured) Third: Cheryl Popa Grigg, Sea Island
	Flight 3 First: Liz Butler, Columbus (pictured) Second: Patti M. Schuette, Suwanee Third: Rochelle Weaver, Resaca
Flight 4 First: Marsha Whitener, Dalton Second: Jean S. Franks, Peachtree City Third: Sam M Ogden, Bremen
Top Forward Tees
	Flight 1 First: Alice Richardson, Alpharetta (won in play-off) Second: Susan G. Bush, Savannah Third: Sherry Gelo, Peachtree City (not pictured)
Flight 2 First: Sherrie Tindle, Alpharetta Second: Louise Beaudoin, Alpharetta Third: Sissi Gann, Kathleen
	Flight 3 First: Eleanor J. Graham, Savannah Second: Janet Norris, Eatonton Third: Dale Perry, Carrollton
Flight 4 First: Lori Soles, Perry Second: Kristie McCollister, Alpharetta Third: Olivia Flanagan, Marietta
	Flight 5 First: Lea Wilson, Atlanta Second: Ann L. Young, Big Canoe Third: Carolyn A. Swart, Marietta (not pictured)
Flight 6 First: Lisa Murdock, Evans Second: Sharon Danville, Alpharetta Third: Sandy Hammond, Savannah
	Flight 7 First: Karen Dunigan, Decatur Second: Jane Newbern, Bremen Third: Diane Munroe, Savannah
Flight 8 First: Lindsay Berry, Roswell Second: Bonnie Revoner, Atlanta Third: Susan Pittard, Eatonton

Top Other Winners
	Runner Up Awarded to the player with the second lowest tournament score playing from the Championship Tees. This year's winner was Laura Coble who shot 69-73-75 to finish at even par for the 54-hole tournament.
Doak Cup Awarded to the players from the same club with the lowest tournament score. Jodie Shephard (left) and Jean Reynolds (right) of Newnan Country Club pose with GWGA Trophy Chairwoman Jane Newbern.
	Burns Cup Awarded to the Senior Player (50+) playing from the Championship Tees with the lowest tournament score. This year, the current Georgia Women's Senior Champion, Claudeen Lindberg, also won the GWGA Burns Cup. Lindberg (left) poses with GWGA Tournament Director and incoming President, Sherrie Tindell.
Hole-in-One Awarded to any player from any tees who scores a hole-in-one on the course. This year, Donna McMikle, GWGA Scoreboard Chairwoman, scored a hole-in-one on the 11th hole from the forward tees. It was Donna's first hole-in-one!