The 2019 New Hampshire Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship was shortened by rain on Wednesday, but the tournament needed an extra hole on Thursday to determine a sudden-death winner.
The schedule changes worked out well for Corey Richardson, who plays out of Duston Country Club in Hopkinton. She was tied for the lead with Margaret Brenner (Nashua Country Club) after 18 holes and then made par on the playoff hole for the one-round tournament win at Baker Hill Golf Club in Newbury.
It’s the first New Hampshire Golf Association title for Richardson, who had never played at, or even seen, Baker Hill before playing in this event. But Richardson told the NHGA she tends to play better on unfamiliar courses and kept her game plan simple heading into Thursday’s winner-take-all round.
“Just stay in the fairways, stay out of trouble,” Richardson said. “If I have to go short, that’s fine. I wasn’t going to drive my way out of anything.”
Richardson started her day with five bogeys in her first six holes. She turned things around with birdies on No. 8 and No. 9, carding 3s on the pair of par-4 holes.
“I started slow and then I kind of picked it up a little towards the end of the first nine with a couple of birdies. I had really great playing partners today and enjoyed the day. I was just relaxed and comfortable,” said Richardson, who played with Joan Cyr (Rochester Country Club) and Bonnie Murgatory (Eastman Golf Links).
Richardson finished the back nine with three straight pars to card a 78 and then made it four straight on the one and only playoff hole. She hit the fairway, put her approach on the back of the green and two putted for the win. Brenner missed the green with her approach and struggled to get up and down.
“Just hit it in the fairway because I know Margaret is a killer, she wins a lot,” Richardson said of her plan before the sudden-death hole. “I hadn’t met her until today, I really enjoyed it and got fortunate, I think.”
Beth Gutteridge (Green Meadow Inner Club) was one stroke off the lead with a 79, but she was the net champion with a score of 69. Betsy Knights (Hanover Country Club) was fourth with an 80.
Deborah Crowley, who plays out of Canterbury Woods Country Club, posted an 84 to finish fifth. Beth Hamilton, the Pembroke Academy golf coach who also plays out of Canterbury Woods, was tied for ninth with an 87.
Other locals who finished inside the top 20 were Deb McGrath (Lake Sunapee Country Club, tied 11th), Sharon Lavigne (Baker Hill, tied 11th), Linda Pletch (Den Brae Golf Course, tied 13th), Rowena Wilks (Country Club of New Hampshire, tied 13th), Torrie Whitcher (Canterbury Woods, tied 13th) and Christiane Raabe (Duston, tied 16th).