Richardson continues onslaught at Kitchen Creek

If Joan Richardson keeps on dominating the annual Kitchen Creek Ladies Open, one has to wonder if the Grand Rapids whiz won’t be invited back some day.
Although that would never happen, some local golfers probably would think that wasn’t such a bad idea.
Richardson won her second Ladies’ Open title in three years, and continued her dominance on the Kitchen Creek course in the ’90s, by firing a five-over-par 79 last Saturday for a slim one-stroke victory over three other golfers.
Karen Saaramaki, Sylvia Cochrane, and Carol Livingston all shot 80, with Cochrane awarded first place in the championship flight based on a countback.
Saaramaki wound up placing second and Livingston third.
Richardson, fresh off winning her eighth Norwest Bank title in International Falls last Wednesday (finishing five strokes ahead of runner-up Livingston), was hot on the back nine Saturday, nailing two birdies en route to an even-par 37.
She was five-over 42 on the front nine.
Defending champ Eadie Stephenson of Winnipeg carded an 81 to finish two strokes back of Richardson, along with Janet Bembenek, to round out the top five places in the championship flight.
A total of 67 golfers took part in the one-day, 18-hole event.
The top five finishers in the other flights were:
< *c>First Flight
< *c>(19-24 hdcp)
1. Donna Lee (87) 2. Helen Ceresino (91) 3. Maureen Thomson (93) 4. Nancy Evans (93) 5. Linda Sekulich (94)
< *c>Second Flight
< *c>(24-28 hdcp)
1. Grace Verrill (93) 2. Gerry Cousineau (94) 3. Dixie Badiuk (96) 4. Megan Reid (99) 5. Sharon Angus (104)
< *c>Third Flight
< *c>(28-34 hdcp)
1. June Cunningham (95) 2. Jen Ash (99) 3. Linda Guimond (102) 4. Elsie Doucette (105) 5. Rose Mary Haglund (105)
< *c>Fourth Flight
< *c>(34-40 hdcp)
1. Judy McLeod (104) 2. Betty Crawford (112) 3. Eloise Camirand (113) 4. Alana Cawston (114) 5. Maxine Plumridge (105)
< *c>Fifth Flight
< *c>(40 and over)
1. Marie Gregory (107) 2. Sandra Gosselin (108) 3. Joanne Gosselin (111) 4. Arlene Georgeson (114) 5. Vi Plumridge (116)
Closest-to-the-hole winners were Maureen Thomson (#7) and Alice Dunford (#11). The straightest drive competition was won by Gerry Cousineau (#17) while Brenda Burch had the least putts (26).
Jason Supinski won the diamond ring draw.