Oct. 30, 2024
Monterey Peninsula Country Club member Lara Tennant has yet another major amateur title, but it was also bittersweet.
Tennant, a 57-year-old native of Portland, carded a final-round even-par 72 Wednesday to win the annual California Senior Women's Amateur Championship at Seven Oaks CC in Bakersfield by seven shots over runner-up Karen Garcia. A three-time U.S. Senior Women's Amateur champion, Tennant also won the CWAC Senior in 2020.
The victory came with a heavy heart, however. Tennant was very close with former Cal-Berkeley women's golf coach legend Nancy McDaniel, who passed away recently due to cancer. The two became friends while growing up in Portland. McDaniel was inducted into the NCGA Hall of Fame on Oct. 16.
"I really wanted to win this and dedicate it to her," Tennant said. "I was pretty determined. She was with me. There's a lot of great players in this tournament, so I'm very proud of myself for winning."
Tennant, who finished the event with a three-day total of even-par 216, made her big move in the first round with a 69. By the end of the second round, she still held a three-shot lead.The 69 was the only score under par for the championship.
"The course essentially played longer than the actual yardage, and the pin placements were difficult," Tennant said. "It took a lot of great course management just to get pars."
Garcia, the NCGA's Senior Women's Player of the Year for the 2022-23 season, came in at 7-over 223 after a final round 76. Third place went to three-time event champion Corey Weworski at 224.
At the end of the 2023-24 NCGA season, Tennant was edged by NCGA Hall of Famer Lynne Cowan for the Senior Women's Player of the Year title. Cowan, who finished tied for fourth in the championship, ended the NCGA season with 1,433 points. Tennant finished the season with 1,300 points.
Tina Barker took the title in the Super Senior Championship (ages 65-over), finishing with a three-day score of 242 (82-80-80).
Oct. 29, 2024
Monterey Peninsula Country Club member Lara Tennant slipped back but never lost a step.
A day after opening with a solid 3-under 69, Tennant, a three-time U.S. Senior Women's Amateur champion, carded a second-round 75 Tuesday at this week's California Senior Women's Amateur at Seven Oaks CC in Bakersfield.
The slip wouldn't hurt Tennant, the winner of the California Senior Women's Am in 2020, at all. The 58-year-old Portland native would end the day just as she started it--holding a three-stroke lead.
Despite Tennant coming back to the field, no one else could make a move.
Both Karen Garcia and Kathy Kurata, who began the day three back at 72, also shot 75. Garcia, the NCGA's Senior Women's Player of the Year in 2022-23, was stung in part by a bogey on the 18th. Kurata, who won the event in 2021 at San Jose CC, had four bogeys on her front-nine.
Lurking a shot closer, and now just five shots off the lead, is Sierra View CC member and 2023-24 NCGA Senior Women's Player of the Year Lynne Cowan. Cowan, a four-time CWAC Senior winner, shot a second-round 74 a day after a 75.
Christy Atencio also posted a 74 to move with six shots of Tennant entering Wednesday's final round.
The cutline for the final round (low 30 and ties) came at 30-over 174.
In the Super Senior (age 65-over) division, Tina Barker leads at 18-over 162 following a second round 80.
The North-South Challenge, a competition which takes the best three scores from the NCGA and SCGA over the first two days of competition, saw the NCGA emerge with a 439-445 win.
Oct. 28., 2024
A former champion got off to a great start at this week's annual California Senior Women's Amateur Championship at Seven Oaks CC in Bakersfield.
Lara Tennant, a member at Monterey Peninsula CC and the event's champion in 2020, jumped to a three-shot lead in Monday's opening round with a solid 3-under 69.
A three-time U.S. Senior Women's Amateur champion, Tennant posted four birdies to go against just one bogey.
In at 72, and just three back, are the tandem of fellow champions Kathy Kurata and Karen Garcia. Kurata won the title in 2021 at San Jose CC. Garcia, the NCGA's Senior Women's Player of the Year in 2022-23, won the U.S. Senior Women's Am in 2015.
Corey Weworski, a three-time winner of the Cal Senior Women's Am, is alone in fourth at 73. Lynne Cowan, a four-time champion of the event, and defending champion Shelly Haywood, are T-6 after opening 75s.
Leading the Super Senior (age 65-over) division is Tina Barker at 82. Barker, who won the regular title back-to-back in 2010-11, was recently inducted into the NCGA Hall of Fame.
In the North-South Challenge, a competition which takes the best three scores from the NCGA and SCGA, the NCGA grabbed a three-shot lead, 216-219.
Following Tuesday's second round, a cut will be made with the low 30 players (and ties) advancing to Wednesday's final round.