Schlicher Wins Second Consecutive Michigan Women’s Senior Am

Lewiston’s Lori Schlicher Wins Second Consecutive Michigan Women’s Senior Amateur

  GLADWIN – Lori Schlicher of Lewiston felt the pressure of being the defending champion, managed it and won the Michigan Women’s Senior Amateur Championship presented by Stifel Investment Services for the second consecutive year.

  Schlicher took a 2-up lead through five holes and never trailed in topping Shelly Weiss of Southfield 3 and 2 in the championship match Tuesday at Sugar Springs Golf Club.

  “I did feel a little pressure,” Schlicher said. “I felt like I should definitely win if I played well, and I did play well today.”

  Schlicher, medalist and the top seed from the stroke play first-round Monday morning with a 73, earned her spot in the final match with a 3 and 1 semifinal win over Donna Benford of Linden, and Weiss earned her finals berth by turning back Barb Schmid 6 and 4 in the other semifinal.

  Schlicher said she struggled in her 3 and 2 first match win over Kelly Freeman of Chesaning Monday afternoon but had her game back in its recent form Tuesday.

  “The greens were way faster than last year and today I finally got my feel,” she said. “I finally learned how to lag (putt). Shelly struggled a bit, but I played well on the front nine. I shot under par on the front. If you are shooting under par out here, you should be doing pretty well.”

  Sugar Springs has hosted the championship for three consecutive years and Schlicher said she has learned where to take advantage of her abilities.

   “There are a few holes where I can really take advantage of my distance,” she said. “I still hit a utility off a lot of tee boxes, but there’s a few where hitting it long really should help me. Number 11 is one of them, and Shelly beat me on that hole because I hit a very bad shot by the green. But other than that, I was pretty happy with my shot making today.”

  Weiss headed out after play to catch a plane to Seattle for the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur this week. Meanwhile, Schlicher said now that she has won back-to-back match play titles in GAM competition, she has her eyes set on winning a stroke play tournament.

  “I just have to get my game going a little earlier in the season,” she said.