Christin Thomson will have to fit another driver in her suitcase next week.
The local golfer, bound for the U.S. college links this fall, captured her third Kitchen Creek Ladies Open title in four years—and a $400 driver—with a round of one-under par 73 on Saturday.
“I’m glad I got to play this tournament before I left,” said Thomson, 19, who is heading off to St. John’s University in New York next Friday to begin the first of two golfing seasons there.
The Ladies Open was just Thomson’s third tournament this summer. Last month, she finished first at the Ladies Invitational in International Falls and also earned a top-20 finish at the Manitoba Ladies Golf Association sen-ior/amateur championship.
“I’ve played straight tournaments all summer for the past three of four years,” she noted. “For this last summer [here], I just wanted to make sure my game was at the right level.
“I basically played a lot of golf around here.”
Heading east to study sports management at St. John’s is something Thomson is looking forward to.
“I’m really excited about it. It’s what I wanted to do since I was a kid,” she enthused. “Since I found out about college golf, I’ve always wanted to play it.
“It’s going to be an awesome opportunity.”
When all was said and done Saturday, no one came close to denying Thomson another Ladies Open title. Local golfer Laureen Hill was the runner-up in the first flight after carding an 87—14 strokes back.
Punky Stadum of International Falls was third with a 91, followed by Plum Byrnes of here (93).
Rita Woodland topped the second flight with a 95, Barb Asplund won the third flight (99), and Christine Ruppenstein earned top honours in the fourth flight (108).
Defending champ Carol Livingston of here, who beat Thomson in a playoff last year, didn’t compete this time around nor did former multi-Open winner Joan Richardson of Grand Rapids, Mn.
In related golfing news, Kitchen Creek club pro Steve Wood qualified for the Manitoba Titleist Cup team thanks to a 16th-place finish at a CPGA event at the Blumberg Golf Club in Winnipeg earlier this month.
Associate pro Glen Mills finished 10th overall there.
Wood and Mills are coming off a first-place showing at a professional two-man scramble at the Rossmere Golf Club, also in Winnipeg, last Friday. The duo combined for an 11-under 59.
In local scramble play, Greg Ward, Jeromy Wensley, and Kyle Carrier combined for a 14-under 58 to win the annual Las Vegas tournament Sunday at Kitchen Creek.
They’ll now head to Las Vegas to square off against their Kenora counterparts Nov. 17-21.
Ladies Open results
Overall champion
Christin Thomson (73)
First flight
Laureen Hill (87)
Punky Stadum (91)
Plum Byrnes (93)
1st low net—Shannon Burton (70)
2nd low net—Martha Karsnia (77)
Second flight
Rita Woodland (95)
Barb Nass (96)
Megan Ross (97)
1st low net—Judy Krantz (74)
2nd low net—Laura Bruyere (75)
Third flight
Barb Asplund (99)
June Cunningham (104)
Penny McComb (106)
1st low net—Joyce Flatt (75)
2nd low net—Donna Gustafson (80)
Fourth flight
Christine Ruppenstein (108)
Chantal Dick (114)
Sandra Tibbs (114)
1st net low—Arlene Georgson (77)
2nd net low—Ann Anderson (80)
Closest to the hole
#5—Barb Asplund
#7—Christin Thomson
#11—Alana Cawston
#12—Mary Ducharme
Las Vegas scramble
1. Greg Ward, Jeromy Wensley, and Kyle Carrier (58)
2. Snake Krawchuk, Jim Ballard, and Dave Hyatt (61)
3. Bob Mainville, Sean Taggart, and Brent Tookenay (63)
4. Dean Willson, Mel Larson, and Sandy Taggart (63)
5. Brian Johnstone, Brian Johnstone Sr., and Ed Bogacki (64)
