A BIRDIE on the 36th and final hole proved decisive as Denise Brown won Captain’s Prize for Ladies at Saddleworth Golf Club for a second time.
As Denise triumphed by a margin of two shots, the importance of the birdie at the par five 18th hole could not be underestimated.
“Players of my handicap don’t birdie the hole very often and usually I would expect a bogey six as opposed to a four,” explained Denise, 71, from Greenfield.
Denise, who was playing off 19, had nett rounds of 70 and 67 for 137, two shots clear of runner-up Linda Newman who had 77 and 62 for 139.
She said: “I was joint leader with Jade Jackson after the opening round, but the weather was so good I knew there would be a fantastic score and I could be beaten.
“And Linda had an absolutely brilliant 62 in her second round. I would think she has never had a score that low before.”
Denise described playing steady golf in the two round which were three days apart.
“I scored a lot of pars in the opening road and played steadily in the second with the highlight the birdie at the last,” she said.
This was Denise’s fourth major and second Captain’s Prize for Ladies after her victory three years ago when she was lady captain and her friend Kevin Rafferty was captain.
Denise, whose handicap has been reduced to 18 following her victory, has also won Lady Captain’s Prize and the Committee Cup with only Mr President’s Prize needed to complete the set of majors and she said it is on her bucket list.
She was a late convert to golf only taking up the sport just shy of her 60th birthday having earlier played tennis and squash at Tame Valley and was also a keen scuba diver.
Denise said: “I was too old for tennis and especially squash which is tough on joints.
“Myself and my two best friends went to practise and have a bit of fun and all three of us became hooked.
“It is surprising how many former Tame Valley members are now golfers at Saddleworth.
The first-day prize went to Jade Jackson (70) and second round to Fiona Hesten (67) who played alongside Denise in both rounds.
A subsidiary nine-hole Stableford in each round saw Jean Lowe (16pts) have the best total in the first round and Jenny Knight (17) in the second round.
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