Womens Golf Association of Western Pennsylvania

Kristen Obush (LIgonier) successfully defended her WGAWP Championship at Valley Brook Country Club with a 5-and-3 win over last year's finalist Carol Semple Thompson (Allegheny).  Obush has won the coveted title three times in the last four years. Valley Brook previously hosted the WGAWP Championship thirty years ago in 1984 when Missy Berteotti won the last of her three consecutive titles.

Obush, the tournament's top seed, ousted Norma Efremenko (Treesdale) 7-and-6; Ann Vanzant (Valley Brook) 2-and-1 and Jane Wymer (Butler) 4-and-3 to reach Friday's round of match play.  Semple Thompson downed Susan Moore (St. Clair) 6-and-4, Mia Kness (Valley Brook) 1-up and Danielle Proctor (Sewickley Heights) 3-and-2 to reach the final match.

For the first time, live hole-by-hole scoring was made available through a link on the Western website.  Scorers, with each pairing on course, radioed results to Tournament Administrator Kim Kness who posted the scores to the tournament bracket page.

In the championship match, Obush built a 2-up lead through the first four holes.  Thompson squared the match after the par 4 sixth.  Obush responded with birdies on the next three holes to take a 3-up lead at the turn.  The players traded birdie wins on the tenth and eleventh holes and halved twelve and thirteen.  Kristen won the fourteenth with a par and closed out the match on fifteen when Thompson conceded Obush's birdie putt.

Three flight winners were also determined:  
     Flight 1-Kat Katawczik (Sewickley Heights) defeated Ann Strong (Diamond 
                 Run) 7 and 5
     Flight 2- Sharon Ammons (Sewickley Heights) bested Angel Venneri (Montour
                 Heights) 5 and 4
     Flight 3- Mary Pat Bielich (Nemacolin) beat Ilene Sardello (Montour Heights)
                 5 and 4

A nod to the staff at Valley Brook who, despite heavy rains on Sunday and Monday, presented us with an immaculate and beautiful golf course throughout the week.

Kudos to delegate Isabelle Holzapfel who worked tirelessly behind the scenes and in the months leading up to the championship week to assure that everything that was in her control came off without a hitch (sorry, Isabel, that you couldn't keep away the rain on Monday!)  Thank you to Isabelle's crew of volunteers who assisted with course management throughout the week and with the officiating crews for each match on Friday.

All final matches were conducted by officiating teams that included members of the Standing Rules Committee: Chairman Dede Rittman, Mary Mackey, Terry Kenneweg and our USGA Rules "guru" Fay Ann Kikta.  Members of the current Executive Board assisted as observers and scorers with each pairing.

Lastly,special acknowledgement to our Vice President and Tournament Chairman, Corinne Lacich.  Corinne was the "glue" that coordinated all facets of tournament from prizes to scoring to rain delays!  Thank you, thank you!

Next year's Western Championship will be held at The Club at Nevillewood.