Move over World and Canadian Hall of Fame golfer Marlene Streit. You have company.
Shelly Stouffer of Nanoose Bay, B.C., joined the two-time Lou Marsh Trophy and four-time Bobbie Rosenfeld Award winner in becoming the only other Canadian to win a U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and Canadian Senior & Mid Amateur title in the same year on a hot and windy Thursday afternoon at Breezy Bend Country Club in Winnipeg.
“She (Streit) sent me messages when I was in Anchorage (at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur) … being encouraging,” said Stouffer just moments after sinking her tournament-clinching par putt on 18.
“You know it’s just phenomenal, it’s awesome.”
The 52-year-old Vancouver Islander captured her second consecutive Senior and first ever Mid-Amateur title by out-dueling Terrill Samuel of Etobicoke, Ont., and six-time Mid-Amateur winner Christina Spence Proteau from Port Alberni, B.C., in a back-and-forth battle that saw all three women share or take the outright lead at some point during the final round.
Stouffer eventually prevailed with an even par 72 to match the best score of the week for a one-shot margin of victory over Samuel and a two-stroke advantage on Proteau – who both lipped out very makeable putts on 16.
But the double champion said the turning point occurred one hole earlier when she and Samuel had almost identical birdie putt opportunities on 15.
“Terrill and I were basically the same distance apart and I made mine and she didn’t,” explained Stouffer. “That, I think put me even with her and then on the next hole, the par three 16th – I hit a really great shot in there and she missed her up and down.”
Thursday’s victory capped off what has been a memorable summer for Stouffer who became only the fourth Canadian to win a U.S. Senior Women’s amateur golf championship in early July in Anchorage – and then the week before the Canadian Championship – tied for 29th at the U.S. Senior Women’s Open near Dayton, Ohio that included the likes of Annika Sorenstam, Helen Alfredsson and Joanne Carner.
So compared to those achievements, where does today rank on Stouffer’s personal list? “Well it’s my second (Canadian Senior title) in a row so that’s pretty cool. My first Mid-Am, it ranks right up there with all of them.”
It was a tough final day for second round leader Nonie Marler who bogeyed seven of the first 14 holes, and wound up with nine for the round in shooting an 8 over 80 that dropped her six places into seventh spot.
Former Manitoba Junior Golf Champ Tannis Walch – who now lives in Fargo, N.D., and plays out of Moorhead, Minn. – turned in three very respectable rounds of 76-75-77 to wind up 12 over par and one stroke behind Marler for eighth place. Considering she hadn’t played in a competitive tournament in some 10 years, the 2001 Provincial Junior Champ was very pleased with how her week turned out.
“You know, I wanted to be in contention, I’m not gonna lie. You don’t come out here to play a tournament – I wanted to go low,” said the former Tannis Hastmann who played in the second-last pairing of the day with Proteau and Marler. “I’ve been playing some good golf this summer and so it was solid. I left some shots out there I wish I could get back.”
The University of North Dakota professor says finishing in the top ten has revived her competitive juices, and it’s very unlikely Walch will wait another decade to test her mettle against some of Canada’s best.
“Looking at the schedule for next year already, I’d like to come back for the Canadian Mid-Am, try the U.S. Mid-Am again because I’ve played that a few times. Do some state tournaments. I’ve caught the bug again for sure,” said Walch, whose long-range plans include caddying for her young children one day.
A second but current Manitoban also enjoyed an encouraging week as Charmaine Mackid of the host course shot a final round two over 74 for a 14 over total of 230 to wind up tied for ninth place with Celina Lam of Calgary.
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