Samara Takes 6th WMGA/MGA Women's Public Links Championship in Sudden Death
FARMINGDALE, N.Y.-Tina Samara of Oyster Bay in Woodbury, NY, captured the 6th WMGA/MGA Public Links title at Bethpage Golf Course (Red) in Farmingdale, NY to edge out Susan Choi, of Lido, with a routine par on the second hole of a sudden death playoff.
Twenty-eight year-old Samara, and 19 year-old Choi, of Woodmere, NY, both carded 4-over-par 78’s at the 18-hole championship. After tying the first hole of the playoff, Choi found a fairway bunker with her tee shot on the second, while Samara pured her drive down the narrow fairway. Choi played out of the bunker to 110 yards while Samara placed her 180-yard approach to eight feet. Choi matched Samara’s approach by hitting her third shot to eight feet as well. Rather than breaking the tie with the flip of a coin, Choi elected to putt out first. She missed and left herself with a two-foot tap-in for bogey, which she also missed. Samara two-putted for her par and the championship.
After a career as a tennis pro at The Creek Club, Samara first started playing golf seriously only two years ago, when a group of members invited her out onto the course. Since then, she has steadily improved. Today’s WMGA/MGA Public Links title is Samara’s first victory.
Third place went to 2001 WMGA/MGA Women’s Public Links Champion Joan Placek, of Crab Meadow, who carded a 79(39 – 40). Low net honors were awarded jointly to Elizabeth Lonergan, of Haverstraw Women’s, Nicole Sikora, of MGA Sterling Women’s and Bonnie Marsh, of Crab Meadow who each carded net 73’s.
For more information contact Dan Miesieski or Gene Westmoreland of the MGA @ (914) 347-GOLF or visit the MGA website at mgagolf.org.
