The last time Kristine Franklin raised a CGA/CWGA trophy that she’d won, her name was Kris Hoos, she wasn’t yet married or had any kids, she hadn’t yet turned pro — and it was 32 years ago.
On Tuesday — seemingly a lifetime after winning the 1986 CWGA Stroke Play, now with a family that includes a husband and two sons, and having long ago regained her amateur status — Franklin revisited the good old days by winning her second CGA/CWGA title.
And not only did the Broomfield resident capture the title in the CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play, she did so by beating five-time champion Kim Eaton — and on Eaton’s home course of her younger days, Greeley Country Club.
“To play well enough against her was wonderful,” said the 52-year-old Franklin. “I love that she hit such great shots (into greens) right after me. That was really neat. She’s such a competitor. To play against her and be on top was unbelievable.”
After three-putting the 18th green — missing a 4-foot par attempt — in Tuesday’s final round to allow a playoff, Franklin landed the victory with a par on the first hole of sudden death as an uncharacteristic shank by Eaton on her greenside pitch shot led to a bogey.
“She gave me a break on 18 by missing that putt, then I go and do that,” said a frustrated Eaton, who had missed a 3-foot par putt on that same hole earlier in the day. “I would at least like to have given her a little better fight (in the playoff).”
Franklin, wife of University of Colorado women’s golf assistant coach Brent Franklin and the mother of one of the top junior players in the state (Franklin, younger brother of Jaxon), played her final 12 holes of regulation in even-par, shooting her second straight 2-over-par 74. That left the golfer from Colorado National (left and above) tied with Eaton, who had led by one stroke after 12 holes on Tuesday but bogeyed three times in her final seven holes, including the playoff. Eaton, a 59-year-old who now lives in Mesa, Ariz., missed two birdie putts inside of 10 feet on the 15th and 16th holes.
In sudden death, after Eaton’s shank (below) had resulted in a bogey, Franklin putted from just over the green, 20 feet from the flag, to within 6 inches and tapped in for the title.
After being under pressure with good shots by Eaton all day, Franklin was relieved to win it in relatively easy fashion.
“To have it end that way, I was so thankful,” said Franklin, who opted not to know where she stood all day, until a conversation with cartmate Eaton made it apparent heading up to the 18th green that she was one ahead.
“I’m like, ‘Why did I say anything?’ You are so stupid.”’ Franklin said of being informed of her status relative to Eaton.
Franklin, a former director of operations for Ricardo Patton when the latter was the head men’s basketball coach at CU, dedicated Tuesday’s win to her dad, George Hoos, a longtime high school golf coach in Boulder and a fixture in the Colorado golf community, who is battling leukemia.
“I really wanted to do this for my dad,” said Franklin, who returned to competitive golf just last year after a layoff of 18 years. “I just can’t wait to tell my dad (about winning).
“I get so much joy from watching my kids play. I didn’t realize that back when I played that my parents got that much joy. So I thought maybe if I started playing again …”
Franklin had a friend, Lara Tennant, talk her into returning to competition in 2017 after last competing in the 1999 Colorado Women’s Open, where she lost in a playoff to Shannon Hanley. So last year she played in the Women’s Trans National Senior Four-Ball, then qualified for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and made match play. And this year in Colorado, she’s taken it up a notch, finishing second in the CGA Women’s Senior Match Play and winning on Tuesday.
So how has it been playing in these events after so long — and winning?
“It’s really exciting,” Franklin said. “The thing I enjoy most is meeting some of the ladies out here. They’re so nice and a real treat to play with.
“I drive up in the morning and am like, ‘Why am I doing this?’ because I get the nerves. But I think the more I practice and the more I work on my mental game, I hope it’ll be a better drive up to each of the tournaments. I think I’d like to keep competing.”
But while that’s the case, Franklin also will be on the golf course trying to help build the games of teenagers. Her brother, Eric Hoos, a former University of Denver men’s golf head coach who once won an event on the Web.com Tour, has taken on head coaching duties at Prospect Ridge Academy, where Walker Franklin plays. And with Eric on board, Kristine has committed to be an assistant coach, a role in which she’s currently enmeshed.
Franklin, who played professionally in Japan for about seven years, joined Jill Gaschler (2015) as the only players who have beaten Eaton in a CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play. The last time Greeley Country Club had hosted the event, in 2012, Eaton won by 16 shots. But that year, Eaton shot just one stroke better over 36 holes than her total this week (148).
Eaton (left), a four-time quarterfinalist in the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur, is seeking her 26th career CGA/CWGA championship, which would give her sole possession of the record she now shares with fellow Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Carol Flenniken. Eaton said her next opportunity for No. 26 won’t come until next year.
Asked if falling short on Tuesday was more painful, given it was at her old home course, Eaton said, “It’s more painful in that I feel like I have a target on my back and everybody is out to get me (as the favorite). I just want to win it so I can get it over with.
“I was a little nervous on the back nine just because I wanted to get it over with and not have to worry about it anymore.”
Finishing third behind Franklin and Eaton on Tuesday was 2018 CGA Women’s Senior Match Play champion Tiffany Maurycy (below) of Cherry Creek Country Club, who closed with a 75 for a 153 total.
Colorado Golf Hall of Famer Janet Moore of Cherry Hills Country Club placed fourth at 154 after a second-round rally was derailed by a triple-bogey at the 11th hole en route to a 75. Coincidentally, Moore and Franklin were college teammates at the University of Arizona.
Audrey McEwen of Coal Creek Golf Course, who won the seventh-flight gross competition, had one of the highights of the tournament as she made a hole-in-one — the first of her life — on the 117-yard second hole on Tuesday.
For all the scores from the championship flight, as well as from the other seven flights at the CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play, CLICK HERE.
CGA Women’s Senior Stroke Play Winners
Championship Flight
Gross: Kristine Franklin, Colorado National GC 74-74–148
First Flight
Gross: Jennifer Hocking, Cherokee Ridge GC 80-80–160
Net: Laurie Steenrod, Saddle Rock GC 73-74–147
Second Flight
Gross: Lynda McManus, Highland Hills GC 78-83–161
Net: Sheila Schroeder, Broken Tee GC 72-75–147
Third Flight
Gross: Laura Wetzel, Coal Creek GC 82-85–167
Net: Audrey Bopp, Ptarmigan CC 72-72–144
Fourth Flight
Gross: Darlene Evans, West Woods GC 90-84–174
Net: Berta Thimmig, Riverdale 70-72–142 and Candy Hammerich, Rifle Creek GC 77-65–142
Fifth Flight
Gross: Insook Bhushan, Meadow Hills GC 93-91–184
Net: Judy Maillis, Broken Tee GC 80-70–150
Sixth Flight
Gross: Sandra Schnitzer 86-101–187
Net: Margaret Brubaker, Riverdale 73-69–142
Seventh Flight
Gross: Audrey McEwen, Coal Creek GC 95-96–191
Net: Susie Goldberg, Overland Park GC 79-69–148
