Sunny skies and cool temperatures yielded a perfect day for Fall Triple Threat. 102 women from across Kansas City and Kansas teed it up at Country Club of Leawood to participate in the fun 6-6-6 format: 6 holes Four-Ball, 6 holes alternate shot, 6 holes scramble.

Leading the way were Alane Studley and Mary Larson at two-over-par for the day. The duo won the overall gross championship after playing exceptionally well in the scramble format, making two birdies. Larson held the team during the Four-Ball after making a birdie on the par-four fourth hole. After being crowned the Women’s Mid-Am Net Champion and Tee Fore Two champion, this makes Studley’s third Central Links Golf victory for the season.

Jettie Bezek and Denise Desilet earned second place shooting three-over-par on their day. Susan Mueller and Vicky Heibsch followed in third place at four-over-par.

In overall net, Kay Egidy and Janet Ziegler earned their championship title shooting 64 (-8). The duo played exceptionally well in the alternate shot format, making two eagles and three birdies.

The Fall Triple Threat ends the Central Links Golf championship season. We thank all of the women who have participated in our 2020 season and look forward to seeing you next year!

Individual results and flight champions can be found here>>

Pictures >>

A new era of Women’s Senior champions has begun.

Martha Linscott claimed the title shooting 80-74-154. Linscott held the lead going into today, “I wanted to stick to my game plan which was hit the fairway, hit the green, and not worry about what everyone else was doing,” Linscott said.

Her plan worked well, as she finished one over on the front nine today. Going into the back nine she was coaching herself to stay in the moment and think positively about her putting. On the tough par-3, 17^th hole she hit the green and made par. From there she knew she had a good chance of finishing strong.

This was Linscott’s first year eligible for the championship. Historically champions at the Women’s Senior Championship have won the event multiple times throughout their careers. Most notably, is Denise Desilet who has won the event 11 times during her career.

2019 Champion, Pam Simpson finished in a close second shooting 81-77-158 for the event. Susan DeVoe, 2019 Senior Player of the Year, shot 83-76-159 to hold third place.

Calmer conditions today at the Senior/Super Senior championship yielded lower scores.

Darlene Allen claimed the Super Senior title this afternoon shooting 91-84-175 winning by two shots over Jettie Bezek. “Yesterday I shot a 91 and I didn’t feel too bad about it,” said Allen while discussing the weather on Monday, “I looked forward to today to play again.”  

The last women’s event of the season will be Fall Triple Threat at Country Club of Leawood on October 12.

Full Results >>

Pictures >>

Round 1

Wind Prevails at Women’s Senior/Super Senior

It was a very windy day in Manhattan, Kansas for the first round of the Women’s Senior/Super Senior Championship.

Leading the overall gross Senior division is Martha Linscott, Mission Hills. Linscott shot 80, holding a one-shot lead over 2019 champion, Pam Simpson, Kansas City. Susan Mueller, Wichita holds third place at 82. Terri Albers, Susan DeVoe, and Denise Desilet all hold fourth place at 83. With scores so close, the championship is still in reach for many.

Jettie Bezek holds first place in the overall gross Super Senior division. Bezek shot 88 on the cold and windy round. Jan Allerheiligen is in second place shooting 90 today. Darlene Allen holds third place with her 91.

With cooler temperatures predicted for Tuesday, golfers will need to dress warm and mentally prepare for tougher course conditions. Tee times will begin at 9:00 AM.

View full results >>

54 women from across the state will compete at the Senior/Super Senior Championship at Manhattan Country Club on Monday and Tuesday. Women who are 50 years of age and older as of September 28, 2020 are eligible to compete.

Senior Division (50-69 years old)

Notable players include: Pam Simpson, defending champion. Notorious victor, Denise Desilet will compete for her 12^th state championship title. Desilet has proven to be a strong and consistent competitor. Martha Linscott is newly eligible and could begin a new era of senior victories after claiming Low Senior at the 2020 Prairie Invitational. Susan DeVoe is also competing as the reigning Senior Player of the Year.

Super Senior (70+ years old)

Notable players include: Phyllis Fast who will compete to defend her 2019 Super Senior title. Past Super Senior Champion, Judy Morris, and Jettie Bezek competing as a super senior for the first time this year.

All golfers will be following COVID-19 safety precautions throughout the event.

Media contact: Baile Stephenson, baile@clgolf.org.

Dropbox images for press to use with credit to Central Links Golf >>

Lenexa, KS – The 2019 Women’s Players of the Year were honored at the awards ceremonies at The Prairie Invitational recently.  Each year’s award winners may choose which event in the following season where they will receive their award, and all selected The Prairie as the event with the strongest field in the rotation.

Susan DeVoe, 2019 Senior Women’s Player of the Year, was honored on Tuesday, July 28^th.  Ms. DeVoe’s accomplishments during the 2019 season are quite impressive.  In addition to her playing resume, Susan started both a boys and girls team at Eudora HS where interscholastic golf had never existed.  She had 22 students, both boys and girls, try out for the team in February of this year for the inaugural season of competition before it was ultimately canceled due to COVID-19.  The Prairie Invitational Committee is pleased to announce that the Eudora HS Girls Team is the recipient of a grant providing uniform jackets for their first season of play this fall.

Susan DeVoe’s 2019 Accomplishments:

• Runner Up – Kansas Women’s Senior Championship
• 4^th Place – Kansas Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship
• Round of 16 – KC Women’s Match Play Championship
• Won 2 StateLine Amateur Tour Events
• 5^th Place – Tee Fore Two Championship
• Top Half finish at the Kansas Women’s Amateur and 2^nd oldest player in the field
• Represented Team Kansas at Fore State Matches

Julia Misemer, 2019 Girls Player of the Year, was honored on Wednesday, July 29^th.  Julia is a rising junior at Blue Valley West HS and has been a force to be reckoned with at junior tournaments in our area for several years already.

Julia Misemer’s 2019 Accomplishments:

• Winner – Kansas City Junior Championship
• Qualified for USGA Girls Junior Championship and advanced to match play
• T8th – Kansas Women’s Amateur
• Qualified for PGA Junior Championship
• Winner – Kansas 6A High School Championship
• Winner – Long Drive in her age division at the National Drive, Chip, & Putt Competition at Augusta National GC

Rachel Stous, 2019 Women’s Player of the Year, was also honored on Wednesday, July 29^th.  Rachel is a native of Topeka and is one of the best players in the Midwest.  She is currently on the roster at Metropolitan Community College and also recorded wins in a successful fall 2019 collegiate campaign.  She also made a deep run at the Topeka City Match Play against the best male players in the city.

Rachel Stous’s 2019 Accomplishments:

• Winner – Kansas City Women’s Match Play with a walk-off hole-in-one
• Runner Up – Kansas Women’s Amateur
• T6th – The Prairie Invitational

We salute our Players of the Year for their hard work and exemplary play!

The Women’s Spring Triple Threat was rescheduled for August 20 at Rolling Hills Country Club due to the state-wide quarantine during the original scheduled date.

Katy Winters and Selina Redeker dominated the field, winning the championship by 11 shots over Denise Desilet and Jettie Bezek.

The Winters/Redeker duo shot 63 (-9) in the unique format: 6 holes Four-Ball, 6 holes Chapman Alternate Shot, and 6 holes Scramble. Redeker made birdie on the third hole followed by Winters making an eagle on the par-5 fifth hole. The team really found success in the Alternate Shot format. They birdied four of the six holes. They continued their lead in the Scramble format, making birdies on holes, 14, 16, and 18.

In the overall Net Division, Terri Wittrig and Terrie Ramsey won by one shot over JoAnn McCormack and Tina Lichtlin. Wittrig and Ramsey are both members at Rolling Hills Country Club, giving them the obvious advantage. They found success in the Alternate Shot format making two net birdies and an eagle.

Flight Champions:

First Flight – Katy Winters & Selina Redeker
Second Flight – JoAnn McCormack & Tina Lichtlin
Third Flight – Terri Wittrig & Terrie Ramsey

Net Flight Champions

First Flight: Patricia Sherwood & Marcia Alterman
Second Flight: Karen Clothier & Carol Collins
Third Flight: Brenda Ford & Vicky Maechtlen

Full results >>

The Prairie Invitational Preview – Presented by Dr. J Douglas Cusick MD, FACS

The 2020 Prairie Invitational will be played July 27-29 at Shadow Glen Golf Club in Olathe, KS. “We are thankful to be able to host The Prairie Invitational at Shadow Glen. This could be the toughest Prairie venue yet, and I am excited to see how the players fare,” said Jacque Madison, Tournament Director. “As always, the field is very strong and a good mix of professionals, collegiate players, and mid-amateurs.”

78 of the top female golfers in the Midwest will complete the field.

Amateurs:

• Bri Boden, an incoming sophomore at the University of Missouri
• Standout golfers representing Wichita State University: Kenni Henson, Megan Lucas, and Madison Slayton
• Home course favorite and former University of Nebraska golf team member, Audrey Judd

Mid- Amateurs:

• 2020 Kansas Mid-Amateur Champion, Carmen Titus
• 2019 Kansas Mid-Amateur Champion, Katy Winters
• Texas Golf Association Executive Director, Stacy Dennis

Juniors:

• Kansas City local and 2019 Kansas Junior Girl’s Player of the Year, Julia Misemer
• Nebraska’s Danica Badura. Badura is the 2019 Nebraska Junior Girl’s Golfer of the Year, 2020 Nebraska Girls Junior PGA Champion, 2020 Nebraska Junior Girls Amateur Champion, and 2020 Nebraska Girls Match Play Champion
• 2020 Kansas City Junior Girls Match Play Champion, Beth Grant

Professionals:

• 2017 Prairie Invitational Champion and 2018 Runner Up, Kristen Samp
• Three-time Kansas High School State Champion, former K-State Golfer, and LPGA Teaching Professional, Gianna Augustine
• PGA Head Golf Professional at St. Andrews Golf Club and former University of Kansas golfer, Jennifer Clark Walker
• PGA Teaching Profession in the Overland Park Golf Division, Maureen Olson

About The Prairie Invitational

The Prairie Invitational is a premiere women’s event in Kansas City for amateur and professional players. It’s purpose is to enhance women’s golf and junior women’s golf not only in the Kansas City area, but on a regional level. Formerly known as the Women’s Amateur of Kansas City, the Prairie Invitational was founded to determine the best female golfer in the Midwest. The 2017 event was the first time the event was conducted over 54 holes in the Open Division, and was also the first year the event was included in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.

The Prairie Invitational consists of two divisions. The Open Division is includes golfers with a handicap index of 5.0 or below. The Open Division competes as a 54-hole event with a cut to the low 18 and ties after 36 holes. The Player’s Division includes golfers with a handicap index of 5.1-18.0. Golfers in this division compete in a 36-hole event.

Dr. J. Douglas Cusick is serving as the title sponsor again in 2020. The Cusick family’s dedication to promoting women’s golf in the area has been a tremendous boost to the event and to the Girls Performance Initiative. The Kansas City Area Toyota Dealers join us as the presenting sponsor along with the Midwest Section PGA Foundation.

All golfers will be required to comply with state and local government COVID-19 safety policies and additional safety procedures put in place by Central Links Golf.

Tournament Information & Results >>

Full Media Package available upon request. Please email baile@clgolf.org.

Newton, KS – Kate Tilma, Wichita, won the Kansas Women’s Amateur Tuesday shooting 74-71-74-219 (+3). This is Tilma’s second Amateur victory of the summer. Last month, she won the Kansas Junior Amateur in Salina, KS. There has never been another woman in the history of Kansas women’s golf to hold both titles in the same year.

When asked how she felt about holding both titles in the same year she said “It’s a great honor to be able to play, it’s good for the hard work that I put into both.”

Abby Glynn, Unversity of Kansas golfer, also made a run for the Kansas Women’s Amateur title. Glynn, hot off her win at the Missouri Women’s Amateur just two weeks ago, made a push in the final round today shooting an even-par, 72. Going into 18, both Glynn and Tilma were tied at four-over-par for the tournament.

Going into 18, Tilma knew she needed to either birdie or par in order to win. She proceeded to make a 20-foot birdie putt to win the championship and overall Low Junior. “I just wanted to give it enough to have a chance at going in,” Tilma said.

Madison Slayton, Wichita State University golfer, held the lead after rounds one and two on Monday. Although Slayton carded only one birdie on her scorecard today, she finished in third place.

The 2021 Kansas Women’s Amateur will be held at Flint Hills National Golf Club in Andover, KS.

Full Results >>

Pictures >>

Day 1: Slayton leads at Kansas Women’s Amateur

Newton, KS – The Kansas Women’s Amateur is underway at Sand Creek Station. Madison Slayton leads by two strokes.

Slayton, an incoming freshman on the Wichita State University golf team, shot 70-73-143 (-2) at Sand Creek Station today. Slayton found success throughout her day, carding a total of nine birdies.

There is a crowd on the leader board for second place. Megan Whittaker, junior at the University of Nebraska, shot 72-73-145. Kate Tilma, 2020 Kansas Junior Amateur Champion, shot 74-71-145. Most notably, Thirteen-year-old Kinslea Jones shot 76-69-145. Jones had 5 birdies and one eagle during her second round.

Also at the top of the leader board is 2019 Kansas Women’s Mid-Am Champion, Katy Winters. Winters, a former Kansas University golfer, shot 75-71-145. During the afternoon, she had five birdies on holes 6, 9, 10, 16, and 18.

Competitors played 36 holes on Monday at Sand Creek Station Golf Course. They will finish the event with 18 holes on Tuesday morning.

View full results >>

Media Package available upon request. Contact: Baile Stephenson baile@clgolf.org

Hays, KS – Susan DeVoe and Alane Studley hold the first round lead in the Tee Fore Two Championship at Smoky Hill CC. Windy conditions prevailed from the start this morning and picked up as the day progressed. Smoky Hill CC is in top condition for the championship, and the fast greens coupled with the windy conditions made for a difficult back nine.

Judy Morris and Jaci Weber or Derby, Kansas and Jayne Clarke (Hays) and Terri Albers (Oakley) were keeping pace with DeVoe and Studley through the front nine. DeVoe and Studley rounded the difficult back nine in 1-under par 35. Morris/Weber and Clarke/Albers were both over par on the back as the winds picked up. DeVoe and Studley lead by four shots heading into the challenging Chapman Alternate Shot format on Tuesday, which is setting up for another day of strong winds.

In the Net Division, Valerie Wente and Lien Quan, both of Hays, lead with a score of 4-under par 68. Wente and Quan also played the back nine well, finishing with a 4-under 32. They lead Paula Routon and Shirley Blick of Wichita by two shots, and Jettie Bexek (Ottawa) and Kathy Thomas (Lee’s Summit, MO) by three shots.

Tomorrow’s Alternate Shot round will begin at 8:00am.

Manhattan, KS – Carmen Titus was all smiles after a fantastic come-from-behind victory in the Kansas Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship today at Colbert Hills GC in Manhattan, Kansas.  This year was especially sweet since it was the championship that got away from her least season.

The field maintained the positions they started in for the most part through the front nine, but the momentum shifted as the final group made the turn.  First round leader Meghan Stasi started the back nine with an uncharacteristic double bogey on the 10^th, and a triple bogey on the 11^th.  Suddenly, Titus had made up four strokes of the six-stroke deficit she had at the turn.  Stasi got one back with a par to Titus’s bogey on the 12^th hole, then another with a birdie on #13.  Titus had a strong finish starting with the 14^th hole.  Stasi made triple bogey at the difficult hole as the wind was really picking up, while Titus carded a steady bogey.  Titus made two more birdies at #15 and #16 and finished with two strong pars as the wind continued to howl. 

Titus said after the round that this win felt good after losing a big lead last year at about the point on the course where this year’s championship turned around for her. “It was fun being in this position this year after being where Meghan was last year.  I got to be the chaser.” “I just tried to play my own game…I tried to play smart and make pars and let her come back to me, and it worked.”  Titus has a Kansas City Women’s Match Play Championship under her belt and has qualified for several USGA Mid-Amateur Championships including advancing to match play in 2018.  After a great win over a player with multiple national championship wins, she can head into the next qualifying season knowing she can play with anyone in the field.

Alane Studley took home the Overall Net title after a very steady two rounds of play.  She had a rocky stretch on the back nine going bogey-double bogey-bogey on holes #12 through #14.  She regained her composure and finished strong even as the winds were picking up.  Ashley Childers fired a net 74 today including a birdie and an eagle on the back nine, but it wasn’t enough to counter Studley’s consistency.

The next Central Links Golf women’s event is June 15-16 at Smoky Hill CC in Hays, KS at the Tee Fore Two Championship which includes one round of Four Ball and one round of Chapman Alternate Shot.

Click here for complete results.

Manhattan, KS – The Kansas Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship is underway under hot and difficult conditions at Colbert Hills GC in Manhattan, KS. Meghan Stasi, four-time US Women’s Mid-Amateur Champion, leads the field at 1-under par.

Stasi had a very steady round with nothing more than a bogey on her card.  She was under par on the difficult par 5s.  Chasing her is Audrey Judd (former University of Nebraska player), Carmen Titus (former Rockhurst University player), and Chloe Kraus (assistant coach at Baker University).  Judd, Titus, and Kraus all gave up some strokes on the par 5s but have plenty of firepower to make a comeback in round two.  Defending champion Katy Winters (Andover, KS) is not out of reach in spite of carding two triple bogeys in her round.  Winters and Martha Linscott (Mission Hills, KS) are tied for 5^th with scores of 79.

Alane Studley of St. Joseph, MO leads the Net Division at even par.  Studley finished strong on the difficult back nine.  She kept the ball in play nicely and managed the difficult 10^th hole carding one of the few pars in the field.

Play will resume with the final round tomorrow at 7:30am.  The Women’s Mid-Amateur Championship is held annually for women age 20+ who are not on a college golf roster for the fall. 

Click here for complete results.