Cleary cruises for the women’s amateur title in Pennsylvania
Courtesy of the Pennsylvania Golf Association
It was less of a competition than a crowning achievement. On a beautiful Wednesday afternoon Jennifer Cleary was crowned Queen of the 85th Pennsylvania Women’s Amateur Championship. Nobody contested their claim to the throne.
Cleary, an aspiring college student in Virginia, dominated the field. Her last 2 under par 71 on Wednesday was her highest score of the week. Previously, she equaled the competition record of the Sunnybrook Golf Club with a 69 on Monday and broke it with a 67 on Tuesday to 6,145 meters.
Cleary’s closest pursuer, Isabella Dilisio (Hatffield. Pa.), Who played collegially at Notre Dame, finished 16 shots behind her at 223.
“I’ve done really well all week,” said Cleary. “I putted really well. I think a good possibility (the golf course) is that the greens are tough. They are very steep and pretty fast. I think I’m pretty good at reading putts. I’ve gotten a lot better at just being conservative on some putts that I think could be difficult; they are really fast. I think I putt hard greens well right now.
Cleary’s talents with a putter were on show on Wednesday. Their only bogey of the day came on the last green. She previously rolled birdie putts on the third par-4 (six meters), ninth par-4 (seven feet) and 11th par-4 (six meters) course.
She had an abundance of doable birdie chances, and her second putts were mostly within or near tap-in range.
“My mother likes this,” Cleary said. “That saves her a lot of stress. But I hit my irons well. Hit my wedges really well which I think took some stress off because I figured if I had a lot of wedges in greens, 8-10, I’d probably have at least three birdies just because I put five in 3 feet. “
Cleary estimated she hit seven wedges in the greens on Wednesday. Despite having a nine-shot lead over Dilisio at the start of the final lap, she kept her foot on the gas.
“I was just trying to play like I was five or ten behind,” she said, “and keep pushing birdies and not play too conservatively because I don’t think I’m playing well that way. So just keep trying to do birdies. “
Cleary was eligible for the Pennsylvania Women’s Amateur because of her membership at Applecross Golf Club in Downingtown, Pennsylvania. She entered the championship after failing to qualify for the US Women’s Amateur.
Jennifer Cleary of Applecross CC and @UVAWomensGolf bets 18 to win the 85th Pennsylvania Women’s Amateur Championship at Sunnybrook GC with 12 strokes. Summary will follow shortly. pic.twitter.com/vwbXtybMyc
– Pennsylvania Golf Association (@PA_Golf) August 4, 2021
Unlike some junior and college golfers who focused exclusively on golf from an early age, Cleary played other sports, particularly field hockey and squash, which she pursued in high school at Tower Hill School. Before enrolling in Virginia, she limited her golf game to the spring and summer months.
“That was my first year where I played more than four months a year,” she said. “I used to play field hockey for my high school, then squash (in winter) for my high school. Then I would start (golf) in March or April and stop in August, then stop. So it was really nice to play golf all year round. “
Cleary believes that playing multiple sports stopped her from burning out playing golf at a young age.
“I’ve definitely heard that a lot of girls who have been playing and going to academies all year round go to college and just feel like I’ve been doing it all my life,” she said.
“Although I pushed the gas down. I think if you live in the north, in winter and then come out in spring, you have more fires than people who do it all year round.
“Even me. I came home from school, took a whole week off, and then came back.”
Mid-amateur, senior, and super-senior divisions
The mid-amateur, senior and super-senior divisions of the championship were played on 36 holes and completed on Tuesday. Katie Miller Gee (Oakmont, Pennsylvania) won the mid-amateur title with a two-day total of straight par 146, 10 strokes ahead of Katrin Wolfe.
Lisa McGill (Philadelphia), a member of the host club, took the Senior Division crown (50 and over) after finishing at 6 over par 152 for 36 holes, seven strokes ahead of Karen Siegel and Suzie Spotleson.
Barbara Pagana (Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania) won the Super Senior Event for players aged 65 and over. Her two day total of 9 over par 155 beat Ruth Averback by four strokes.
Show results for Pennsylvania Women’s Amateur
ABOUT THE Pennsylvania ladies amateur
State championship for women, middle amateurs (from 25), seniors (from 50) and super seniors (from 65). Eligible are amateur golfers who (1) were only female at birth, (2) are members of a Pennsylvania Golf Association club, and (3) have a USGA Handicap Index of no greater than 22.5. 18-hole stroke play qualification for determining match-play brackets. Players compete in match-play flights of 8 or 16, depending on submissions.
