Brown takes senior ladies crown
Barb Brown was caught off guard when approached by the media at 73rd Annual Walt McCollum Niagara District Champions of Champions golf tournament at the St Catharines Golf and Country Club Saturday.
“Are you telling me I won?” she said.
The 63-year-old Niagara Falls native had no idea she captured first place in the senior ladies division following a round of 79. Julie Zulik of Bridgewater was second with an 83.
“I actually feel fantastic,” said Brown, who is a member of the Port Colborne Country Club.
Brown’s familiarity with the course helped.
“I tried to get a practice round and it just didn’t work out for me to get a practice round,” she said. “I’m lucky I played enough times here I sort of know the layout of the course and once I relaxed and calmed down a bit, I just kept the ball in play and tried not to make a really bad mistake.”
Brown, who also won the ladies title in 2018 at Rockway, said her short game saved her.
“The course was in fantastic condition. I was in the rough a little bit too much around the greens but I managed to get up and down on the par 3s. That saved me,” she said.
Brown did her best to focus on her own game and not worry about what anyone else was shooting.
“I really wouldn’t want to know. I’ve known a few times and I’ve always managed to have a couple of blow up holes,” she said. “One hole at a time and my caddy said, ‘Make a par, make a par. Pars are your friend’ and it worked out.”
Brown stayed out of trouble except on the 16th where she shot an eight.
“Once I had my bad hole I calmed myself down,” she said.
Brown, who has been a member at Port for 23 years, didn’t come in thinking the title was hers for the taking.
“No, there’s too many great senior lady players. Just one shot at a time and hopefully on this day I play my best and it happened today.”
She also didn’t take for granted qualifying.
“Sandra Billyard (three-time winner from Port Colborne) is one heck of a player and I was fortunate enough to get the senior ladies championship this year and it worked out,” she said.
SENIOR LADIES LEADERBOARD
1. Barb Brown, Port Colborne CC 79; 2. Julie Zulik, Bridgewater G&CC 83; 3. Betty Divok, Rockway Vineyards GC 84; 4. Theresa Holmes, Niagara National G&CC 87; T5. Martha Cruikshank, Niagara-on-the-Lake GC 89, T5. Ann Marie, Luhr Cherry Hill GC 89, T5. Suzie Sexton, Sawmill GC 89; 9. Jane Halligan, Willodell GC 90; T10. Jeanne Glavac, Lookout Point CC 91, T10. Sarah Anne Smurlick, Freedom Oaks GC 91; T 12. Madeline Carter, Cardinal Lakes 94, T 12. Andrea Jack, Peninsula Lakes 94; 14. Sue Labatte, Niagara Falls CC 95; 15. Patti Paone, St. Catharines G&CC 99; 16. Sharon MacDonnell, Beechwood 105; 17. Windy Correia, Whisky Run 107; 18. Bev Parker, Long Beach CC 109. Pat Crawford, Rolling Meadows, WD.
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