Vero Beach, Fla. Portland’s Lara Tennant arrived at Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club having won just one match in a USGA amateur championship in eight starts, but on October 11th she captured the USGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship in convincing fashion. “I would say except for last year, all of the other USGA championships I played in, I probably prepared two weeks before,” explained Tennant. “With five kids I was never prepared like I am now. Since I turned 50 I was able to have the time to prepare, and I would say I have a new passion for golf.”
Making the experience even more exciting, Lara’s 78-year-old father, George Mack, served as her caddie. He was enjoying the experience even before the final round. “How can you beat this?” said Mack, “Regardless of what happens tomorrow, it doesn’t matter because we’ve had a great time.”
Tennant never trailed on Thursday, defeating Sue Wooster, 56, of Australia, 3 and 2, in the 18-hole championship match, USGA official Scott Lipsky, reported.
Tennant was able to build a cushion on the back nine on Thursday by taking advantage of some late miscues by Wooster.
As the runner-up, Wooster receives an exemption into the 2019 U.S. Senior Women’s Open, as well as a three-year exemption into the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and exemptions into the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur and U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur.
What the Champion Receives
- Custody of the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Trophy for one year
- Gold medal
- 10-year exemption in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur
- 2-year exemption into the U.S. Senior Women’s Open
- 2-year exemption into the U.S. Women’s Amateur
- 2-year exemption into the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur
Here are some details about the final matchup:
| SUE WOOSTER | LARA TENNANT | |
|---|---|---|
| 56 | Age | 51 |
| Lysterfield, Victoria, Australia | Hometown | Portland, Ore. |
| N/A | College | University of Arizona |
| Round of 32 (2016, 2017) | Best Previous Finish in this Championship | Round of 64 (2017) |
| No. 5 / 87 holes played | Seeding / Match Holes Played | No. 10 / 83 holes played |
| Defeated 2013 runner-up Susan Cohn in the semifinals, 3 and 2 | Notable Victory |
Defeated 2004 U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur champion Corey Weworski in the quarterfinals, 3 and 2 |
| 25 | Age Started Playing | 10 |
| Has won national golf championships in Australia, Canada, and New Zealand | Noteworthy | Was co-medalist in her U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur debut in 2017 |
|
Has advanced to match play in all nine USGA amateur championships in which she has competed |
USGA Credentials |
Has been competing in USGA championships dating back to the 1983 U.S. Girls’ Junior |
|
Did not start playing golf competitively until she was in her 40s |
Fun Fact | Made the first hole-in-one in U.S. Senior Women’s Open history earlier this year |
