Mary Ann Hayward wins the Royale Cup
The tournament winner gets the Ada Mackenzie Trophy and an exemption into the USGA Amateur Championship
The 2013 Royale Cup Canadian Women’s Senior Championship was hosted by the Spallumcheen Golf and Country Club of Vernon, August 20 to 22. The title was won by Mary Ann Hayward of Aurora, Ontario.
The tournament winner gets the Ada Mackenzie Trophy and an exemption into the United States Golf Association (USGA) Amateur Championship in San Martin, California. Going into the third and final round, Hayward was the golfer to beat, having shot a 67 in the second round and with a four-stroke lead. Alison Murdoch, four-time Canadian champion, was in second place. Jackie Little, a crowd favourite and two-time Canadian champion, was also four strokes back.
When Hayward took a double on Hole 9, catching her seemed a real possibility. The double bogey, however, was quickly replaced with an eagle on Hole 11, a par five at 496 yards. Hayward, however, needed to shoot just even par to win.
When questioned about her final round, Hayward said, “I was concerned having bogeyed No. 13 and No. 16, followed by just clearing the water on the No. 17. That tricky little putt for par really settled me down.”
Her final hole was a beautifully played birdie, for a winning total of 213 and her third Canadian title in four years. In the meantime, a battle was going on for second place, with Alison Murdoch emerging with a score of 218. Third place was shared by Diana Dolan and Marie Therese Torti of Quebec, each with a final score of 220.
Interprovincial team competition
The Royale Cup is also an interprovincial team competition along with individual stroke play. Each province has a three-member team selected prior to the event. In the first two rounds of stroke play, the total for the two best scores will make up the team score. This year British Columbia won the event, as represented by Jackie Little of Port Alberni, Linda Palahniuk of Kelowna and Karen Pultz of Surrey.
Super senior women
There is also a tournament within the tournament for women aged 60-plus competing in their own division as well as the regular tournament. The title was won by Alison Murdock of Victoria, who defeated 30 competitors and won by one stroke over Holly Horwood of Vancouver.
Playing the course
The tournament was mostly decided by four holes, with the front nine more difficult than the back nine. Hole No. 2, 305 yards, is a sharp dogleg left with the fairway guarded by willow trees. The tee shot needs to leave a clear shot to the green over Deep Creek. Hole No. 4, 330 yards, is a difficult par-four to an elevated green guarded by bunkers and that is tiered and undulating. The greens are 10.5 on the stimpmeter, bringing three-putt greens into play.
Hole No. 6, 287 yards, is the number 1 handicap hole. The locals refer to holes 5 and 6 as “hell ’n’ back,” with the water or willow trees a hazard. Hole 16, 287 yards, is the second handicap hole, a par four, sharp dogleg right. It is necessary to drive the corner and then carry a waste area/pond to a narrow green.
It is interesting to note that the five par threes are handicap holes 14 through 18 and would not prove a problem during the tournament. The ladies play a combination of red and white tees, or approximately 5,700 yards.
Spall, as the locals call it, is a mature golf course opened in 1972 and redesigned by Les Furber in 1991. The word Spallumcheen is Salish for flat meadows, which somewhat describes the course.
Post tournament
This national tournament is a 54-hole event under the direction of Golf Canada, with participants aged 50-plus having qualified through their provincial associations. Royale Paper Company, Titleist, FootJoy, RBC Wealth Management and several local merchants partnered this event. There were 107 golfers in the tournament, including eight from the United States, with the low 70 and ties making the cut for the final round.
Over the years I have attended and covered numerous LPGA and PGA events. The ladies of the Royale Cup performed with as much professionalism and sportsmanship as any touring pro. They played good golf, which was enjoyable to watch.
The 147 volunteers, under the direction of Mary Wilde, have every reason to be proud of their contribution and received accolades from many of the golfers.
Hayward said it best. “Spall was absolutely fantastic. The course was magnificent, just like the volunteers.”
Latest comments