Around the Green

Women’s Senior Stroke Play Heads West

The Women’s Senior Stroke Play makes its first journey ever to the Concho Valley region when Bentwood Country Club in San Angelo hosts the 34th edition of the championship from Sept. 18-20.

This will be the second TGA championship conducted at Bentwood Country Club. In 2020, the club hosted the West Texas Amateur, won by J.T. Pittman.

“We are so pleased to be back at Bentwood Country Club for the Women’s Senior Stroke Play,” said Katie O’Connell, TGA Tournament Coordinator. “We know the club will be a great host for the championship and that the players are looking forward to competing on this terrific course for the first time.”

Founded in 1978, Bentwood Country Club is the centerpiece of a master-planned community located near the shores of Lake Nasworthy. Designed by Billy Martindale and Jeffery Blume, the golf course has all the elements of a classic parkland layout, including narrow fairways, numerous water hazards, prominent bunkering, and large, undulating green complexes.

“You have to do all the right things at Bentwood because there is little margin for error,” O’Connell said. “It requires precise shot-making and sound course strategy from tee to green and will pose a challenging but fair test for every player in the field.”

The 34th Women’s Senior Stroke Play will be contested over 54 holes of individual stroke play with no cut.

The 96-player starting field, comprised of female amateur golfers 50 years of age or older, is separated into divisions based on a player’s WHS Handicap Index® and will compete from different tees and yardages, with individual champions recognized in each division. The 16 players with the lowest handicap indexes will be required to play in the Championship Division, plus those players who opted into the Championship Division at the time entries were submitted. The remaining players will compete in Flight Divisions. There are also age group divisions for Super Seniors (65-69 years of age) and Legends (70+ years of age).

Marilyn Hardy of Magnolia returns to defend her title after an exciting victory in last year’s championship at Shady Valley Country Club in Arlington. Hardy eagled the par-5 18th hole to post a final round 2-over-par 74 and 9-over 225 total to finish two shots clear of runner-up Kelley Nittoli of San Antonio. It was the second Women’s Senior Stroke Play title for Hardy, who won the 22nd championship in 2011 at Sweetwater Country Club.

Three other former champions will be joining Hardy in San Angelo. They are Mina Hardin of Fort Worth, Marian Barker of Lubbock, and Anna Schultz of Rockwall. Since 2008, these four players have combined to win 11 of the 15 Women’s Senior Stroke Play Championships conducted during that stretch.

Several top finishers from the 2022 championship are also in this year’s starting field and include Nittoli, Claudia Ramirez of San Antonio (T4), D’Lynn McCoppin of Corinth (T6), and Kathy Crumley, also of San Antonio (9th).

For more on the 34th Women’s Senior Stroke Play Championship, click here.