Taylor sews up title in overtime
Alexandra Taylor had to work overtime to come away with the women’s championship at the 71st Annual Walt McCollum Niagara District Champion of Champions golf tournament held Saturday the Port Colborne Country Club.
The 25-year-old Port Colborne resident and Lookout Point member tied at 76 after 18 holes with good friend Stef Markovich of the Port Colborne Golf Club.
Taylor then parred the first playoff hole with a five while Markovich finished with a six.
“I played it pretty well the first time,” Taylor said of the first hole. “I birdied the first time and hit a really good drive so I was confident.
“It was just swing it and commit and that’s what you need off the first hole.”
It was the second consecutive women’s championship for Taylor, who also won the junior women’s title in 2010 and 2012.
“I come in confident knowing that I’m going to play the best I can and hopefully I can win it,” she said. “I never come in saying I’m going to win this but I’m confident that I can put myself into a position that I could potentially win.”
Taylor said her putting and driving were a big factor in her victory.
“I think I only had one bad drive and was making everything within seven feet,” she said. “I was grinding for pars out there and made a lot of par putts I guess would have added up if I hadn’t made those. There were a lot of six, eight, five-footers I made that would have made or broke my round.
“I’m glad my putter was working today.”
Taylor said it was special to play off versus Markovich, who won the club championship at Port Colborne and placed second at Lookout. Taylor won the Lookout championship.
“It’s an interesting relationship,” Taylor smiled. “We get along great and buy each other drinks after. We laughed about it when we found out that it would be us. Right before we teed off we were saying, ‘Of course, it’s us.’
“It’s nice to play against her. She’s a great player.”
LEADERBOARD
Alexandra Taylor, Lookout Point 37-39-76
Stef Markovich, Port Colborne 41-35-76
Kennedy Bodfield, Rockway Vineyards 40-37=77
Chris Critelli, St. Catharines 42-39-81
Mina Wilson, Cherry Hill 44-40-84
Marge Ott, Bridgewater 43-43-86
Karen Vamplew, Twenty Valley 46-41-87
Emily White, Beechwood 42-45-87
Emily Zwier, Cardinal Lakes 42-46-88
Michelle Fraser, Whiskey Run 41-48-89
Shelley Bauer, Sawmill GC 44-46-90
Wendy Ozog, Rolling Meadows 49-47-96
Colleen Dunn, ICC 46-51-97
Lorraine Lisicky, Willodell 46-51-97
Yolanda Henry, Niagara-on-the-Lake 49-50-99
Lynn Gulla, Freedom Oaks 52-52-104
Carrie Pennimpede, Niagara Falls 55-51-106
Charlotte Huitema, Long Beach 63-64-127
Coverage of the 71st Annual Walt McCollum Niagara District Champion of Champions golf tournament is made possible with the support of Homes Of Elegance by Gatta Homes Inc. Visit them at http://gattahomes.com
HIGH-RESOLUTION ELECTRONIC COPIES OF THE BELOW PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE. COST IS $20 WHICH WILL INCLUDE PUBLISHED PHOTO AND ANY OTHERS WE HAVE OF THE FEATURED GOLFER. TO PURCHASE, CONTACT bpuchalski@cogeco.ca.
