In winning the 34th CWGA Senior Stroke Play Championship by 11 shots on Tuesday, you might think that Deb Hughes had a walk in the park in the final round at historic Patty Jewett Golf Course in Colorado Springs.
But to hear her tell it, that was about the furthest thing from the truth.
“I haven’t won this before — I’ve come in second once — but that’s a lot of pressure,” the player from Green Valley Ranch Golf Club said. “I was so distracted by how I stood and what I wanted to do — and then I’ve got to hit a shot. It’s very, very stressful.”
However it came about, Tuesday’s performance resulted in a lopsided victory. And not only that, but a career “senior slam” for Hughes in CWGA championships.
Two years after claiming the CWGA Senior Match Play title, Hughes posted her double-digit victory in the Senior Stroke Play. She shot a 5-over-par 79 on Tuesday, leaving her at 7-over 155 overall.
Hughes, who will turn 59 next week, becomes the sixth player to have won both the CWGA Senior Stroke Play and the Senior Match Play over their careers. She joins Lynn Larson, Mary Doyen and Colorado Golf Hall of Famers Christie Austin, Kim Eaton and Lynn Zmistowski.
“When I won the (Senior) Match Play, I wanted this so bad — too much, to be honest,” Hughes said. “I wanted to win both. My wife (Alex) and I, we’re not Buddhists, but in Buddhism you’re supposed to (let go) of expectations. That kind of helped me. But now that I have (the CWGA senior slam), my golf career is pretty awesomely set. It’s the source of immense pride for me.”
Colorado Golf Hall of Fame inductee Janet Moore trailed Hughes by three after the first round, but withdrew before round 2 due to back problems. So tying for second place in the championship flight on Tuesday, at 166, were Bev Hoffenberg of Columbine Country Club and Kathleen Johnson of The Ranch Country Club.
Though Hughes made two double bogeys on Tuesday, including three-putting from 1 foot on one hole, the rest of the round she was rock solid, posting a birdie, 13 pars and two bogeys. And she almost aced the 128-yard par-3 11th hole, where she made birdie, hitting an 8-iron to 6 inches.
For the 36-hole tournament, Hughes finished with six birdies.
All in all, it was a very satisfying end to a golf season in which she has played in an abundance of tournaments, including the recent U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur in Wellesley, Mass.
“I had a really (busy) year” on the golf course, Hughes said. “I was tired. To be honest when I came into the tournament, I was saying to a friend, ‘I just want this to be over. I want to rest, I want to sleep.’ So I get to rest now. And I feel so great about the win.”
Gross-score champions in the other flights of the Senior Stroke Play on Tuesday were: Pam Cortez of Coal Creek (165, first flight), Carol Key of the Country Club of Colorado (173, second flight), Marie Schriefer of South Suburban (177, third flight) and Connie Garcia of Fox Hollow (192, fourth flight).
For interactive scores, CLICK HERE.
CWGA Senior Stroke Play
At Par-74 Patty Jewett GC in Colorado Springs
GROSS
Championship Flight
Deb Hughes, Green Valley Ranch Wga 76-79–155
Beverly Hoffenberg, Columbine CC Lga 85-81–166
Kathleen Johnson, Ranch CC Lga 87-79–166
Ron Irons, Eisenhower Wga 86-81–167
Nancy Ziereis, Valley CC Wga 79-89–168
Louise Lyle, Patty Jewett Wgc 83-86–169
Carla Stearns, Wellshire Women 86-89–175
Betty Bullington, Eisenhower Wga 94-86–180
Patty Smogor, Saddle Rock Wga 98-85–183
Jane Ford, Hyland Hills Wga 96-92–188
Janet Moore, Cherry Hills CC Wga 79-WD–WD
First Flight
Pam Cortez, Coal Creek Wga 84-81–165
Patricia Swanson, West Woods Wga 88-82–170
Wendy Atkinson, Ranch CC Lga 85-86–171
Karen Leuschel, Riverdale Wga 88-84–172
Lisa Bolam, Highland Meadows GC 89-83–172
Maggie Brindley, Pinehurst CC Wga 90-82–172
Nancy Werkmeister, Foothills Wga 82-90–172
Janine Lowe, South Suburban Wga 85-88–173
Penny Mack, Patty Jewett Wgc 89-84–173
Carol Heupel, Colorado Springs CC Lga 93-81–174
Betsy White, Kissing Camels Lga 87-93–180
Karen Chase, Fox Hollow Lgc 99-82–181
Kay Geitner, Littleton Lgc 94-91–185
Peggy Puckett, Wellshire Wga 96-94–190
Dee Baker, Shining Mountain Wga 99-92–191
Second Flight
Carol Key, CC of Colorado Wga 84-89–173
Valerie Hunter, CC of Colorado Wga 87-87–174
Andrea Berry, Indian Peaks Wga 90-86–176
Becky O’Brien, Links Lga 90-86–176
Pat Dwyer, Patty Jewett GC 89-87–176
Karin Hathaway, Wellshire Women 92-87–179
Lea Croghan, Spring Valley Wga 92-89–181
Jennifer Tempas, Columbine CC Lga 92-90–182
Carlene Decker, Kissing Camels Lga 92-95–187
Claudia Gallegos, South Suburban Wga 96-92–188
Annette Sulzman, Aurora Hills Wga 93-97–190
Kim Kaiser, Foothills Wga 97-95–192
Donna Edelen, Riverdale Wga 94-103–197
Barbara Ingledue, Fox Hollow Lgc 99-99–198
Juliet Miner, Bear Dance Wga 98-100–198
Bobby Jackson, Willis Case Wga 97-WD–WD
Third Flight
Marie Schriefer, South Suburban Wga 85-92–177
Barbara DeGrand, Kissing Camels GC 96-82–178
Lyndon Lieb, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 90-90–180
Becky Hammer, Kissing Camels Lga 96-89–185
Becky Finger, Riverdale Wga 95-92–187
Marilyn Swedenburg, Eisenhower Wga 93-95–188
Judy Maillis, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 95-94–189
Sharon Thiel, Riverdale Wga 98-91–189
Beverly Byer, Wellshire Wga 103-94–197
Denise Thornton, Eisenhower Wga 98-99–197
Jalinda Gieck, Patty Jewett Wgc 103-94–197
Amy Hicks, Spring Valley Wga 101-100–201
Connie Norkoli, Heritage Eagle Bend Wga 107-94–201
Holly Schuetz, Meadow Hills Wga 106-96–202
Susan Elliott, Riverdale Wga 100-102–202
Fourth Flight
Connie Garcia, Fox Hollow Lgc 101-91–192
Cindy Ortega, Foothills Wga 101-92–193
Harlene Bowman, South Suburban Wga 99-97–196
Kathleen Comes, Patty Jewett GC 103-98–201
Linda Schippers, Heritage Eagle Bend Wga 105-100–205
Audrey McEwen, Coal Creek Wga 105-101–206
Ramona Conner, Murphy Creek Wga 107-99–206
Barbara Fagan, Heritage Eagle Bend Wga 102-105–207
Virginia Newton, Aspen Wga 105-102–207
Bunny Ambrose, Riverdale Wga 104-105–209
Diane Dubose, Applewood Wga 105-104–209
Sandra Schnitzer, Riverdale Wga 104-106–210
Cheri Wallace, Meadow Hills Wga 109-105–214
JoAnn Smith, Foothills Wga 103-111–214
Deanna Messerli, Riverdale Wga 105-112–217
Carol Peterson, Twin Peaks 115-122–237
NET
Championship Flight
Kathleen Johnson, Ranch CC Lga 80-72–152
Nancy Ziereis, Valley CC Wga 71-81–152
Ron Irons, Eisenhower Wga 79-74–153
Beverly Hoffenberg, Columbine CC Lga 79-75–154
Carla Stearns, Wellshire Women 76-79–155
Deb Hughes, Green Valley Ranch Wga 76-79–155
Louise Lyle, Patty Jewett Wgc 76-79–155
Betty Bullington, Eisenhower Wga 87-79–166
Patty Smogor, Saddle Rock Wga 91-78–169
Jane Ford, Hyland Hills Wga 88-84–172
Janet Moore, Cherry Hills CC Wga 79-WD–WD
First Flight
Pam Cortez, Coal Creek Wga 73-70–143
Karen Leuschel, Riverdale Wga 75-71–146
Janine Lowe, South Suburban Wga 72-75–147
Penny Mack, Patty Jewett Wgc 76-71–147
Wendy Atkinson, Ranch CC Lga 73-74–147
Carol Heupel, Colorado Springs CC Lga 80-68–148
Patricia Swanson, West Woods Wga 77-71–148
Maggie Brindley, Pinehurst CC Wga 79-71–150
Lisa Bolam, Highland Meadows GC 79-73–152
Nancy Werkmeister, Foothills Wga 72-80–152
Betsy White, Kissing Camels Lga 74-80–154
Karen Chase, Fox Hollow Lgc 88-71–159
Kay Geitner, Littleton Lgc 81-78–159
Peggy Puckett, Wellshire Wga 83-81–164
Dee Baker, Shining Mountain Wga 88-81–169
Second Flight
Carol Key, CC of Colorado Wga 69-74–143
Pat Dwyer, Patty Jewett GC 73-71–144
Becky O’Brien, Links Lga 75-71–146
Valerie Hunter, CC of Colorado Wga 73-73–146
Andrea Berry, Indian Peaks Wga 76-72–148
Karin Hathaway, Wellshire Women 77-72–149
Lea Croghan, Spring Valley Wga 77-74–151
Jennifer Tempas, Columbine CC Lga 78-76–154
Carlene Decker, Kissing Camels Lga 76-79–155
Claudia Gallegos, South Suburban Wga 81-77–158
Annette Sulzman, Aurora Hills Wga 78-82–160
Kim Kaiser, Foothills Wga 83-81–164
Donna Edelen, Riverdale Wga 78-87–165
Barbara Ingledue, Fox Hollow Lgc 83-83–166
Juliet Miner, Bear Dance Wga 84-86–170
Bobby Jackson, Willis Case Wga 83-WD–WD
Third Flight
Marie Schriefer, South Suburban Wga 68-75–143
Barbara DeGrand, Kissing Camels GC 79-65–144
Lyndon Lieb, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 73-73–146
Becky Finger, Riverdale Wga 76-73–149
Becky Hammer, Kissing Camels Lga 79-72–151
Judy Maillis, Broken Tee Englewood Wga 77-76–153
Sharon Thiel, Riverdale Wga 80-73–153
Marilyn Swedenburg, Eisenhower Wga 76-78–154
Jalinda Gieck, Patty Jewett Wgc 84-75–159
Beverly Byer, Wellshire Wga 85-76–161
Connie Norkoli, Heritage Eagle Bend Wga 88-75–163
Denise Thornton, Eisenhower Wga 81-82–163
Holly Schuetz, Meadow Hills Wga 87-77–164
Amy Hicks, Spring Valley Wga 83-82–165
Susan Elliott, Riverdale Wga 82-84–166
Sue Knutson, Coal Creek Wga DQ
Fourth Flight
Diane Dubose, Applewood Wga 72-71–143
Kathleen Comes, Patty Jewett GC 74-69–143
Harlene Bowman, South Suburban Wga 75-73–148
Connie Garcia, Fox Hollow Lgc 80-70–150
Bunny Ambrose, Riverdale Wga 76-77–153
Cindy Ortega, Foothills Wga 81-72–153
Ramona Conner, Murphy Creek Wga 81-73–154
Audrey McEwen, Coal Creek Wga 80-76–156
Deanna Messerli, Riverdale Wga 75-82–157
Cheri Wallace, Meadow Hills Wga 81-77–158
Sandra Schnitzer, Riverdale Wga 78-80–158
Barbara Fagan, Heritage Eagle Bend Wga 79-82–161
Virginia Newton, Aspen Wga 83-80–163
JoAnn Smith, Foothills Wga 78-86–164
Linda Schippers, Heritage Eagle Bend Wga 85-80–165
Carol Peterson, Twin Peaks 83-90–173
