NOTE TO MEDIA: Links to scoring, the event preview, photos and
previous recaps from this event can be found on the event portal at the link
posted above. Please click on the “Media” tab to find those items.
By Chris Lang
HOT SPRINGS – Shelley Savage has won three Virginia
State Golf Association Senior Women’s Amateur Championships in four tries. The
only competitor to beat her in a title match? Mimi Hoffman.
The two will square
off Friday morning in the final match in the championship flight of the 62nd
VSGA Senior Women’s Amateur. The championship match of the 1st VSGA
Super Senior Women’s Amateur will feature another championship rematch. Twenty
years ago, Fran Hensley defeated Dot Bolling to win the Senior Women’s Amateur
title in Waynesboro. They’ll fittingly meet in the first final for the over-65
set on Friday morning.
The Senior Women’s
Amateur and Super Senior Women’s Amateur also feature play in non-championship
flights. For full details on those matches, visit the link at the top of this
release.
62nd Women’s Senior Amateur
Hoffman, who lives
in Springfield and is a member at Belle Haven Country Club, vividly remembers
her 2013 championship-match meeting with Savage (Alexandria, Army Navy CC).
“I remember
distinctly that we were on 17, and I sunk a putt to win the match,” Hoffman
said.
To get to Friday’s
final, Hoffman first had to rally to defeat stroke-play co-medalist Cheryl
Grigg in the quarterfinals. Play was suspended Wednesday due to dangerous
weather conditions, and at the time, Grigg held a 3-up lead and had just hit
her tee shot on the par-3 9th hole to 10 feet. Then the horn blew,
ending the day.
Hoffman didn’t
stuff it quite as close as Grigg did when play resumed Thursday morning, but
she converted her birdie putt as Grigg settled for par, starting a run of five
birdies for Hoffman on her final 10 holes. She won the quarterfinal 1 up to set
up a semifinal matchup with Linda DiVall (Alexandria, Mount Vernon CC).
Hoffman couldn’t
match her blazing end to the quarterfinal match, but she didn’t need to. She
played solid golf and took advantage of some struggles on the greens from
DiVall to race to a 7-and-6 victory and a spot in the title match for the
fourth straight year.
“I was super
steady,” Hoffman said. “I think I played even par on the front. It was a fun
day. I’m happy to be back in the finals.”
Savage, making her
first finals appearance since that 2013 match against Hoffman, closed out a
3-and-2 quarterfinal win over Kay Tyler (Springfield, Belle Haven CC) before
outlasting Mary Cabriele (Vienna, CC of Fairfax) in the semifinals 2 and 1.
Savage seized control of the match early, winning No. 2 with a birdie and No. 3
with a par to go 2 up. Cabriele never tied the match, and Savage closed out the
victory with a par on No. 17.
Savage found
inspiration for her run this week in an unlikely place.
“I’ve exceeded my
expectations, even getting to the semifinals,” she said. “I found some
inspiration in my little – well, not so little anymore – friend David Stanford
(another Army Navy member), who won the Junior Boys Stroke Play last week. I
think that’s just a great thing that he did. I’m very happy for him, and I’m
very happy that I got this far.”
1st Super Senior Women’s Amateur
Bolling (Salem,
Hidden Valley CC) fought hard to make a championship for the 65-and-over set
happen. And she’ll have a chance to hoist the event’s first trophy, much like
she did in winning the 1st VSGA Super Senior Women’s Stroke Play
title in 2018.
“Yes, and I’m going
after it,” Bolling said.
After rolling
through her first two matches—both of which ended on the 13th hole—she
found a much tougher assignment in defeating Colleen Robertson (Portsmouth,
VSGA eClub Williamsburg) in Thursday’s semifinals. Bolling led most of the way
but needed to dial up a strong shot on 18 to close out Robertson, and she did
so, hitting a 5 rescue club to within 10 feet on the par-3 hole before two putting
for par to win the match.
Hensley (Ridgeway,
Gordon Trent GC) hasn’t played past the 14th hole in any of her
three victories this week. She defeated Salem’s Sara Cole (Blacksburg CC) 5 and
4 on Thursday.
“It’s all about
playing well when you have to,” Hensley said. “It’s all about focusing on what
you’re supposed to be doing.”
As for the matchup
with Bolling, Hensley said, “We have played many times. Amateur, the Senior,
and now the Super Senior. She’s a competitor, just like I am. You tee it up,
and you expect to win.”
Lang is the editor of
Virginia Golfer magazine and the VSGA’s manager, digital media.