Lynne Cowan, three-time champion (NCGA photo)

“I was hungry,” Cowan said. “I just wanted to finish playing so I could eat something.”

Cowan wasted little time in achieving her goal. The Sierra View CC member knocked her approach on the finishing par-4 to within 12 feet of the flagstick and went on to make birdie, defeating Lara Tennant of Portland to win the 40th annual California Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. Both players had finished regulation tied at 5-over 149.

“I had a lot of looks at birdies today and I dropped a couple of long ones,” said Cowan, who followed up an opening round 77 with a 72. “The best one was in the playoff though.”

Cowan would get a bit of help on the clinching putt. Tennant, who was putting first, was just a few feet behind Cowan’s ball–on basically the same line.

“She (Tennant) showed me the line,” Cowan said. “Every big putt I needed I made today.”

For Cowan, now a three-time winner of the event (2014-2015), clutch play on the greens started on the par-3 5th. She’d hit her tee shot into the water hazard, but saved bogey by making a 6-footer. In further atoning for the misplayed wet shot, Cowan would make back-to-back birdies at No.6 and No.7.

Not knowing where anyone else stood, Cowan eventually got to a total of 3-over with another birdie on the 14th. Back-to-back bogeys on the 16th and 17th, however, made it feel like she had no chance.

As it turned out, two-time defending champion and first round leader Corey Weworski of Carlsbad slipped backward with a 78. Tennant also left the door ajar by posting a 74. Pasadena’s Kathy Kurata also shot higher in the second round, posting a 75.

“This one’s a shock,” Cowan said. “After the 17th hole, I’d guessed that I was going to miss a chance at winning it by a couple of shots.”

The Super Senior Championship title went to Pebble Beach resident Marianne Towersey with a 36-hole total of 157 (77-80).

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