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Women's Senior Amateur Match Play Championship

Sugar Mill Country Club - White/Red, New Smyrna Beach, FL

June 23-25, 2025

Sweet Victory at Sugar Mill

 

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. -  Sugar Mill Country Club provided the perfect scene for this year's Women’s Senior Amateur Match Play Championship. With its large, undulating greens and pristine fairways, match play on Sugar Mill’s White and Red courses would create a fun test for all the divisions. At the end of our three-day marathon, it was Susan Cohn who would hoist the trophy once again in the Senior Championship and Laura Carson in the Super-Senior Championship. 

Senior Championship

Past Champion, Susan Cohn, would be awarded the one seed heading to match play Tuesday Morning. Cohn would not squander the opportunity in her first match, claiming the win 5 & 4. With a match still to play in the afternoon, and the humidity rising, anything could happen. Cohn would continue her match-play reign. The 2025 Women’s Senior Amateur champion, would continue her momentum. Cohn would claim her second match, 5 & 4, as well, over Wendi Christensen. With Match Play being the format, upsets are a given. Tricia Good would go on a tear, taking down competitor after competitor. The 12 seed, after winning her morning match 5 & 3, would play her Tuesday afternoon match against 2024 runner-up, Threse Quinn. Quinn would fight hard, but Good would claim the match on 18 to go 1 up. Good would find herself taking on the dominant past champion in the Semi-Finals. 

Kim Keyer-Scott, the 3 time Women’s Senior Player of the year, would be caught in an 18-hole battle Tuesday morning with Suzanne Ricard. After a must-make par on 17, she would find herself in another tough match against Lin Culver, the 2018 and 2022 Champion. Culver would command her morning match, claiming it 6 & 5. However, Keyer-Scott would channel similar energy to claim the afternoon match at 5 & 4. Mary Jane Hiestand, 2023 Hall of Fame Inductee, would have the low score in stroke play seeding, carding one-under par. The 2014 & 2016 Champion would be hot this week, after defeating Karin-Joyce Tjon 3 & 2 in the morning, and Diane Chancellor, 4 & 3 in the afternoon, Hiestand would find herself in a match against 2023 runner-up, Kim Keyer-Scott. 

The sticky summer Florida morning created quite the scene for the Semi-Final matches. Susan Cohn would take an early lead in her match against Tricia Good, but it was Cohn’s consistent play that would place her in the final match. The defending champion would capture her match  3 & 2. Mary Jane Hiestand would gain an early lead, but a streak of great play on holes 6, 7, 8, and 9 would carry Hiestand into the final match. The Naples native, beat Kim Keyer-Scott 4 & 3.

The Final Match would have two past champions facing off, head-to-head: Susan Cohn versus Mary Jane Hiestand. Susan Cohn would be deemed Miss Consistency by her competitors and would stay true to that title in the final match. Cohn would not card a single bogey in her final match, taking down Hiestand 6 & 5. Cohn would claim the Women’s Senior Amateur Match Play Championship for the second straight year.

 

Super-Senior Championship

The 2024 Super-Senior Champion, Karen Lesch, would continue to dominate the Division. Taking a commanding lead early on, Lesch would claim her first match of the day at 4 & 3. Chris Hunt would defeat Taffy Brower in the morning, finishing just 1 up. Hunt would fight Lesch hard, taking her match all the way to the eighteenth hole once again. In the end, Lesch would continue dominating and claim the match 1 up.

Laura Carson would show up Tuesday morning and would have no funny business. The 2025 Senior Amateur runner-up, in the Super-Senior division, would dominate her matches. Taking on Kathie Westlund, Carson would take the match 6 & 4. Carson would continue the trend into the afternoon, taking on Colleen Callahan. Carson would claim this match 6 & 5. The Vero Beach native would face off against the immediate past champion, Karen Lesch, in the final match. 

The defending champion, Karen Lesch, would meet Laura Carson in the final match. Lesch would take an early lead, but a birdie on hole three for Carson would bring them back to square. Carson would carry the momentum and, after losing hole four, would win holes five and six, leaving her one up at the turn. Carson would not let up and continued on to claim the title of Super-Senior Match Play Champion. Carson beat Karen Lesch, 3 & 2.

 

Middle Division

Liz Boudreaux and Meredith Blinn would face off against each other in the final match. Blinn would claim the match 2 & 1. 

In the Middle First, Cheryl Sadlon would compete against Leslie Sistla. Sadlon would beat Sistla 2 up, taking the match all the way to 18. 

 

Forward Division

Gay Miller would encounter Jennifer Rushmore in the final match of the Middle Division.  Rushmore would continue her reign and win the match 2 & 1. 

In the Forward first, Heidi Rafferty would meet Tiffany Benedetto in the final match. Benedetto took home the win in the forward first division, beating Rafferty 3 & 2. 

 

Consolation Matches

Championship Consolation

Susan Temple would beat out Shauna Snyder, winning the match 4 & 3.

Super-Senior Championship Consolation

Beth Anders would face Jill Rippe, Rippe would claim the match 3 & 2

Middle Consolation

Lori Collins would meet Liz Breza, Collins would beat Breza 3 & 2. 

Middle First Consolation

Sharon Bagnati would play Martha Noble. Noble would take home the match on the last to win 2 up.

Forward Consolation

Linda Davis would compete against Lisa Champagne. Davis would win her match 3 & 2. 

Forward First Consolation

Candie Rainey would face off against Karen Duffy. Rainey would reign supreme and win 4 & 3. 

 

Tee Information

Tee

Yardage / Info

Championship Tee

5,709 yds 71.5/122

SS Champ & Middle

5,268 yds 69.4/120

Forward

4,864 yds 67.3/111

Par: 72

Weather Information

Description

Temp

Sunny

Sunny with slight breeze

86 °F

Tournament Results

PosPosition Name Rd.1 TotalTotal Score Points
1 Susan Cohn 73 73 0
2 Mary Jane Hiestand 71 71 0
T3 Kim Keyer-Scott 76 76 0
T3 Shauna Snyder 76 76 0
T3 Therese Quinn 76 76 0
+ View Full Results

Tournament Summary

Format:  18 holes of stroke play (Championship Divisions only), followed by match play

Eligibility:

Handicap:  Florida GHIN 34.0 or less

Entry Fee: 

  • Championship Divisions - $260
  • Middle & Foward Division - $220

Championship Format

  • Individual match play with consolation flights for all divisions
  • Championship Division will play gross match play
  • Super-Senior Championship Division will play gross match play
  • Middle and Forward Divisions will play net match play
  • The Championship Division and the Super-Senior Championship Division will be seeded by an 18-hole stroke play seeding round
    • Defending champion receives the #1 seed if electing to play in the same division
  • Middle and Forward Divisions will be pre-flighted and seeded by handicap index
  • In the event of a tied match, the stipulated round extends to as many holes as are required for a match to be won

Eligibility

  • Female amateur golfer - See FSGA's Competitive Fairness Gender Policy
  • Florida residency required
  • At least 50 years of age as of the first day of the Championship
  • At least 65 years of age as of the first day of the Championship to select to play in the Super-Senior Division at time of entry
  • A valid Florida GHIN Handicap Index not exceeding 34.0
  • Entrant is required to be a member of the FSGA

Entry Fee

  • Championship Divisions - $260
  • Middle & Forward Divisions - $220
  • Entry fee includes all competitive rounds of golf, tee gift, lunch for round 2, and gift certificate prizes
  • Late entries will be accepted subject to a $10 late entry fee should the entrant gain acceptance into the field

Schedule of Events

  • Monday, June 23rd
    • 7:15 AM - 9:45 AM - Tournament Registration
    • 8:00 AM -10:00 AM - Round 1 stroke play seeding (Championship Divisions) and matches (Middle & Forward) off #1 & #10 tees
  • Tuesday, June 24th
    • 8:00 AM - 9:39 AM - First round matches (Championship Divisions) and second round matches and consolations matches (Middle & Forward) off #1 & #10 tees
    • 11:30 AM - Player lunch available
    • 12:30 PM (approx.) - Championship Division second round matches and consolation matches
    • 1:15 PM (approx.) - Super-Senior Championship Division semifinal and consolation matches
  • Wednesday, June 25th
    • 8:00 AM - 8:49 AM Championship Division semifinal and consolation matches off #1 tee
    • 8:56 AM - 9:17 AM Super-Senior Championship Division championship round and consolation matches off #1 tee
    • 9:24 AM - 10:09 AM Middle and Forward Division championship round and consolation matches off #1 tee
    • 12:30 PM (approx.) - Championship Divisions championship round and consolation matches off #1 tee

 

Fine For Withdrawing

  • Due to the nature of this match play event, and to ensure that all players have a match to compete in, a player who withdraws during the competition (including the stroke play seeding round) will be assessed a $250 fine and will not be eligible for next year's championship. It is unfair to your fellow players who spend their own time and money to travel to the Championship, and are subsequently left to sit in their hotel room because another player has chosen to withdraw out of frustration or an undesired seeding position or first round loss. When entering the Championship, please take this into consideration. 
  • If you believe you cannot fulfill the tournament schedule, please leave the spot open for another player.

Exempt Criteria

  • The previous year's Champion and Runner-Up will be held a spot until May 8, 2025. 

Entry Priority

  • The following players have entry priority provided they submit an entry prior to the entry priority deadline of May 8, 2025. The FSGA will hold 32 spots for the Championship and 16 spots for the Super-Senior Championship Divisions until May 8th, after which, entries will be accepted based upon order of receipt. 
    • Quarterfinalists from last year's Women's Senior Amateur Match Play Championship
    • Last 5 Women's Senior Amateur Champions
    • The low senior amateur from the current year's Florida Women's Senior Open
    • Top 10 players and tied from the current year's Women's Senior Player of the Year Points List
    • Any player qualifying for the current year's U.S. Senior Women's Open Championship
    • Any player qualifying for the current year's U.S. Senior Women's Amateur Championship
    • Committee Exemptions
  • After the Entry Priority Deadline
    • Entries received after the entry priority deadline of May 8, 2025, will be accepted based upon order of receipt. 
  • After the Close of Entries
    • Entries received after the competitive field is full or after the close of entries, will be placed on an alternates list. Alternates will be contacted in the order of receipt of entry, if and when, a spot becomes available. 
    • The FSGA may hold an undisclosed number of spots for exceptional circumstances.

Alternate Lists

  • Once a division has reached maximum capacity, subsequent entries will be placed on a list of alternates for that division based upon order of receipt.
  • There will be a list of alternates for each division - alternates are then used to replace any players who withdraw from that division prior to the competition.

Seeding and Flighting

  • Players will be flighted and seeded based on the following criteria:
  • The Championship Division will be seeded based on their round one stroke play seeding round score
    • Defending Champion receives the #1 seed if electing to play in the same division
    • There will be a hole-by-hole play-off to determine the 16th seed in the Championship flight
    • All other seeding ties will be broken by lot
  • The Super-Senior Championship Division will be seeded based on their round one stroke play seeding score
    • Defending Champion receives the #1 seed if electing to play in the same division
    • There will be a hole-by-hole play-off to determine the eighth seed in the Championship flight
    • All other seeding ties will be broken by lot
  • The Middle and Forward Divisions will be flighted and seeded by their respective handicap index
    • In the case of a handicap tie, the Committee will decide by lot
    • For example, a player in the Middle First Flight has the lowest handicap of her flight of eight. She will earn the number one (1) seed for the Championship
    • Once pairings are posted, if there is a withdrawal, flights will NOT be reseeded. Rather, the alternate will assume the position and seed of the withdrawn player

Handicap Requirements

  • Handicap indexes will be updated on Monday, June 16, 2025 (7 days prior to the championship start date).
  • Each player must have a valid Florida GHIN Handicap Index no higher than 34.0. In accordance with the WHS, players are expected to post all acceptable scores to their GHIN scoring record following the completion of each round. If there are any gaps in a players scoring record from the past twelve months, please be sure to have those posted by June 15, 2025.
  • Players in the Middle and Forward Divisions will play to 95% of their lowest index (LI) starting on January 1, 2025.
  • Players must have a minimum of (3) scores posted during the calendar year to be eligible.

It is the responsibility of any player that maintains a Handicap Index lower than her current Florida GHIN Handicap Index to inform the FSGA for resolution. Failure to do so will result in disqualification.

Handicap Requirements

The following should be considered when selecting divisions:

  • Championship Division - 10.0 and Under
  • Super-Senior Championship Division - 14.0 and Under
  • Middle Division - 7.0 -14.0
  • Forward Division - 15.0 and Over

Committee Discretion: The Championship Committee reserves the right to move any player out of the Forward Division if their handicap is significantly lower than the majority of the competitors in that division, and their scoring history does not reflect the need to play from the Forward Division yardage.

Championship Practice Rounds

  • Practice rounds are available one week prior to the event, limited to after 12:00PM on weekends on a space available basis. The practice round rate for this event is $40 + tax. Please contact Sugar Mill Country Club directly to schedule a practice round at (386) 426-5210
  • The proper place to practice your golf swing is on the driving range, hitting multiple shots on the course is unacceptable.

Championship Information

  • Championship Division (Gross Only) - 5,600-5,800 yards approx.
    • One flight of sixteen (16) players
    • Two flights of eight (8) players each
  • Super-Senior Championship Division (Gross Only) - 5,200-5,400 yards approx.
    • Two flights of eight (8) players each
  • Middle Division (Net Only) - 5,200-5,400 yards approx.
    • Two flights of eight (8) players each
  • Forward Division (Net Only) - 4,700-4,900 yards approx.
    • Two flights of eight (8) players each

In order to eliminate byes and accommodate match play brackets, the Committee reserves the right to adjust the number and size of flights in each division based on groups of eight (8) entries.

Championship Policies

Player Information

Past Championships

Host Site

Host Hotel

  • Hampton Inn New Smyrna Beach
    214 Flagler Avenue
    New Smyrna Beach, FL 32169
    (386) 898-9444
  • Book Room Here

Exemptions Earned From This Tournament

  • Next years Women's Amateur Championship