Massa Wins 2017 GAM Senior Women’s Championship

Holt’s Julie Massa Stays Steady, Wins GAM Senior Women’s Championship

BRUTUS – Julie Massa of Holt has been the GAM Senior Women’s Player of the Year for two years running, but was yet to win the GAM Senior Women’s Championship.

Consider that checked off after she shot an even-par 72 for 147 to beat 73-shooting Audrey Akins of LaSalle, Ontario, by one shot in the 21st GAM Senior Women’s Championship presented by the West Michigan Golf Show at Hidden River Golf & Casting Club Tuesday.

“It wasn’t over until that last putt went in,” she said after accepting the Sara Wold Trophy. “It was a little tense, especially here. You never know coming down the stretch because there is trouble. Somebody makes a bogey and somebody else makes a birdie and there can be a big swing.”

Massa, who will be 54 next week, made two birdies against two bogeys.

“I played steady today, hit a lot of greens and made it easy on myself to shoot 72,” she said. “There were no dramatic holes. I had two birdies, one a tap-in from six inches and another on a 10-footer. I played well enough to win.”

Akins said a couple tee shots caused her trouble and that Julie just kept hitting greens.

“She played very well,” she said.

Terry Delcamp of Grand Blanc, the champion in 2014 and 2015, made a bid with a 71, the best round of the day. She finished at 149, two shots behind Massa.

Barb Schmid, another two-time former champion, finished fourth with a closing 74 for 154, and former three-time champion Sue Campbell of Kalamazoo finished fifth with a 79 for 156.

Winners in gross and net scoring were crowned in four other flights.

Massa said it helped her that each member of the final foursome was playing well.

“We had a lot of good golf going on, which made it fun, I think, plus it made me concentrate,” she said. “You have to keep your head in the game and keep playing. I played pretty solid all the way.”

COMPLETE RESULTS: Find at gam.org under the Championships tab.

via Greg Johnson