1st VSGA Women's Mid-Amateur Championship/26th VSGA Senior Women's Stroke Play Championship/6th VSGA Super Senior Women's Stroke Play Championship/2nd VSGA Women's Net Stroke Play Championship
Championship website | Preview | Live scoring | Record book: Senior | Super Senior | Net
Dates: Tuesday, October 17 and Wednesday, October 18
Format: Two rounds of stroke play. Mid-Amateur division is for players 22 and older who are no longer on a college roster. Senior division is open to players 50 and older. Super Senior division is open to players 65 and older. Net division is open to all ages.
Host site: International Country Club
Day 2: J. Spicer, Lane, Savage, Marsh win titles
FAIRFAX -- The 2023 Virginia State Golf Association Women's Stroke Play Championships concluded on Wednesday at International Country Club, with winners crowned in four different championships.
- 1st VSGA Women's Mid-Amateur: Jessica Spicer
- 26th VSGA Senior Women's Stroke Play: Bev Lane
- 6th VSGA Super Senior Women's Stroke Play: Shelley Savage
- 2nd VSGA Net Women's Stroke Play: Jane Marsh
1st VSGA Women's Mid-Amateur
Jessica Spicer capped a fantastic season by winning the inaugural playing of the event, posting the only under-par score across the four divisions on a tough International track. She matched her opening-round 71 with another 71 for a two-day aggregate total of 2-under 142 to claim a three-shot victory over International member Lauren Greenlief.
Spicer, who was one of three medalists at last month's U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur Championship, opened the day with a two-shot lead that quickly rose to five. She held off Greenlief's back-nine charge to claim the win.
"I was still having a little trouble figuring out the greens," Spicer said. "I started out just keeping it simple, you know, fairways and greens. It got a little more interesting on the back nine. I did a really good job of mentally just staying together, sticking to my plan and trusting it. I made some really good grinding pars on the back nine. It looked really easy on the scorecard, but it was a little more interesting than that."
Spicer, a Virginia Tech alum and member at Cypress Point CC, finished with three birdies and two bogeys and avoided the big scores that befelled others over the two days at ICC. Greenlief shot a 1-over 145. Ana Ferreyra took third at 7-over 151.
26th VSGA Senior Women's Amateur
Bev Lane celebrated her birthday on Wednesday with a win, one that came a little harder than expected. A member at Reston National GC and a finalist in August's VSGA Senior Women's Amateur, Lane held a four-shot lead going into the final hole before disaster struck, making a nine on the 18th that sent the event into a playoff. She gathered herself and eventually defeated Joan Gardner by sticking it close on the third playoff hole (No. 10) and making a short birdie putt to win.
"The full gamut of emotions," Lane said. "I felt good all day, and then on 18, I just kind of wasn't focused, wasn't committed. It's a great lesson. I think if that were the 17th hole, I probably wouldn't have had time to regroup, it would have been tougher. But there was time. So I was able to kind of calm down and just take it one shot at a time."
Lane and Gardner each posted two-day totals of 17-over 161, one shot better than third-place finisher Mary Cabriele.
6th VSGA Super Senior Women's Stroke Play
Five-time VSGA Senior Women's Stroke Play champion Shelley Savage notched her first 65-plus title with a 14-over 158 over two days to finish two strokes clear of Shawn McCullough. Savage found inspiration in wearing a old pullover of Kelly Chinn's, who plays at Duke and was a member at Army Navy CC with Savage and won the 2020 VSGA Junior Stroke Play title. Savage also used sublime play on the par-5 6th hole to erase tough starts in both rounds. She made eagle in both rounds, a key separator between her and the chasing pack.
"I guess the secret was hitting a good drive into the middle of the fairway and hitting good approaches," Savage said. "And making the putts. I have no idea why I did that on No. 6 because there were plenty of other holes where I screwed up. ... This has not been a good golf year for me. I've had a lot of high scores in events. So this is a good way to end the year."
Linda DiVall, the 2022 champion, shot an 18-over 162 to finish third.
2nd VSGA Net Women's Stroke Play
Jane Marsh played in her first VSGA event as part of The Piedmont Club's entry into the VSGA Women's State Team Matches in August. As a mid-to-high handicapper, her chances of competing in VSGA championships are limited, so she was sure to take advantage of the opportunity at ICC. Playing to a 15 course handicap, she shot a net 73-73--146 to finish a stroke clear of Pat Bradley.
"I came in knowing I was playing well this year, and I had so much fun at the last VSGA event," she said. "I just said, hit good golf shots, have fun, and just enjoy the course. ... When I looked online and saw a net division, I thought, oh, I can do that. My mental game is good. So let's go. VSGA does such a great job, and I can't say enough. I'm going to promote this."
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Day 1
(Pictured: Jessica Spicer. Credit: Chris Lang/VSGA)
FAIRFAX -- Four players hold solo leads in their respective divisions at the Virginia State Golf Association Women's Stroke Play championships. Jessica Spicer (Cypress Point CC), a past winner of the retired VSGA Women's Stroke Play Championship, holds the lead in the inaugural VSGA Women's Mid-Amateur Championship after posting a 1-under 71. Other leaders include Reston National GC's Bev Lane in the 26th VSGA Senior Women's Stroke Play Championship; Shawn McCullough (Mount Vernon CC) in the 6th VSGA Super Senior Women's Stroke Play Championship; and Ling Wang (Belmont Country Club) in the 2nd VSGA Net Women's Stroke Play Championship.
- Spicer, who won the Women's Stroke Play at Stoney Creek at Wintergreen in 2021, holds a two-stroke edge over four-time Women's Stroke Play champion Lauren Greenlief (International CC) and Ana Ferreyra (Belmont Golf Course) in the Women's Mid-Amateur. Spicer, who played college golf at Virginia Tech, finished with four birdies and three bogeys. All three players competed in the 2023 U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur, with Spicer finishing as one of three-stroke play medalists. Greenlief advanced to the quarterfinals of that event. Greenlief was 3-over through four holes on Tuesday but rallied to play the final four holes in bogey-free 2-under. Ferreyra finished with three birdies and four bogeys. Mount Vernon CC's Sarah Alvarez is fourth after returning a 2-over 74 on Tuesday. Kristine Rohrbaugh (Stonehenge G&CC) is tied for sixth at 5-over after posting a round that included an eagle on the par-5 6th.
- Lane, who advanced to the final match at the VSGA Senior Women's Amateur in August, holds a one-shot lead in the Senior Women's Stroke Play over Kay Stout (Indian Creek Y&CC) and Mary Cabriele (CC of Fairfax). Cabriele is a two-time winner of this championship, having won titles in 2015 and 2016. On a day that was difficult for most everyone in the field, Lane avoided the big number better than most, finishing with a birdie, six bogeys and a double bogey.
- McCullough, a past winner of the VSGA Super Senior Women's Amateur and the VSGA Senior Women's Stroke Play Championship, shot a 9-over 81 and holds a one-shot lead over Shelley Savage (Army Navy CC), another past champion of the Senior Women's Stroke Play. The highlight of Savage's round was an eagle on the tough par-5 6th hole. McCullough's birdie on No. 12 proved to be the difference on Tuesday. McCullough participated in last month's U.S. Senior Women's Amateur Championship. Kit Burns (Fawn Lake CC) is third at 11-over 83. Defending champion Linda DiVall (Mount Vernon CC) is tied for fourth at 12-over 84 with Gerry Stanley (Chantilly National G&CC).
- Wang posted a net 2-under 70 on Tuesday to take a three-shot lead over Amie Zonio in the Net Women's Stroke Play. Wang's playing handicap for the round was 12; Zonio's was 14.
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