Mimi Hoffman Wins 17th Virginia State Golf Association Senior Women's Championship

(Editor's note: Author Stephen Thompson is a VSGA P.J. Boatwright intern in golf administration.)

By Stephen Thompson

Springfield’s Mimi Hoffman responded from a two-shot closing day deficit to notch a playoff victory as the 17th Virginia State Golf Association Senior Women’s Stroke Play Championship concluded recently at Chantilly National Golf and Country Club.

Hoffman outlasted overnight leader Boodie McGurn (Richmond) with a par on the first extra hole. Hoffman has been the runner-up at the event on multiple occasions, including falling to Dot Bolling in a playoff at the 2012 event, before breaking through this time around.

“This is one that I’ve been second in a lot,” Hoffman said. “I guess it was my turn [today]. This is one that’s been escaping me and I’m really ecstatic to be the [Senior Women’s] Stroke Play champion.”

Hoffman closed with 3-over 76, matching a final round best score, while McGurn, playing in the same grouping with her fellow-competitor, recovered from a difficult start to return 5-over 78. Both competitors finished at 5-over 151. They went to a playoff after Hoffman three-putted the last hole for a bogey.

“I was not very happy after that,” she said. “I was driven to play that playoff hole well.”

Mission accomplished. After McGurn pushed her tee shot into the right rough, Hoffman stepped up and nailed her tee shot about 40 yards from the flagstick.

“I probably hit the drive of my life perfectly over the right hand bunker,” Hoffman said.

Faced with a difficult second shot, McGurn’s approach came to rest in a greenside bunker, while Hoffman’s shot settled 10 feet below the hole. She two-putted for par as McGurn couldn’t get up and down for par after leaving herself in a tough spot short of the green.

“I don’t think I could have played that hole any better under pressure. I was ecstatic,” Hoffman said.

Trailing McGurn by two strokes entering the final round, Hoffman collected three birdies against two bogeys and a pair of doubles. Hoffman kept her poise despite a couple of bad holes. After making two double bogeys she followed it up with birdies within a span of two holes each time.

“I know I can make birdies, so if I do happen to make double bogey it’s OK because I know I can make birdies,” said Hoffman, twice a winner of the VSGA Senior Women’s Amateur Championship. “I don’t remember the double bogeys, only the birdies. I made some clutch birdies. You’ve got to make some birdies to win this tournament and I was lucky to have my putter working for two days.”

The victory is even sweeter for Hoffman as she spent most of the winter recovering from two surgeries, one on her back and another on her ankle. She says she now has much more appreciation for the game and being able to play the game after being sidelined for months.

McGurn was the leader coming into the round at even par but got off to a tough start to her round with a double bogey at No. 10, her first hole in the shotgun start format. She then battled her putter, bogeyed five of the next eight holes and shot 7-over 43 on her outward half. Determined to fight back, McGurn went two under the rest of the way, which included draining a 20-foot eagle putt at the par-5 eighth, her next-to-last hole of the day.

“I played the back (nine) in two under. I did play a lot better but I didn't think I was even tied with Mimi, but at that point we were,” McGurn said. “We went to a playoff and I was pitiful!”

Commented Hoffman: “Boodie is one of the best senior golfers in Virginia. To be with her—one of the best—is great. She’s a real competitor. She almost came back and won the whole thing. My hat goes off to her for a great tournament.”

Local golfer Mary Cabriele (Vienna) carded back-to-back rounds of 76 and finished a stroke out of the playoff. Four-time winner Shelley Savage of Alexandria (76), record five-time champion Dot Bolling of Salem (79) and Alexandria’s Katie Cox (77) closed play six shots back at 11-over 157.

CENTREVILLE –– Results from the final round of the 17th VSGA Senior Women’s Stroke Play Championship at Chantilly National Golf and Country Club (5,334 yards, par 37-36—73 from the championship tees and 5,019 yards, par 37-36—73 from the secondary set of tees) on Thursday, June 19.

FIRST FLIGHT

Boodie McGurn (Richmond), 73-78—151

Mimi Hoffman (Springfield), 75-76—151

Mary Cabriele (Vienna), 76-76—152

Dot Bolling (Salem), 78-79—157

Katie Cox (Alexandria), 80-77—157

Shelley Savage (Alexandria), 81-76—157

Sherry Bowman (Manassas), 80-78—158

Shawn McCullough (Alexandria), 79-81—160

Lindsay Wortham (Richmond), 80-82—162

Susan Podolsky (Alexandria), 83-79—162

Fran Hensley (Ridgeway), 80-84—164

Linda DiVall (Alexandria), 83-83—166

Joanne Kitusky (Glen Allen), 89-78—167

Cyndi Carlson (Chesapeake), 88-81—169

Arline Hoffman (Alexandria), 93-82—175

SECOND FLIGHT

Gerry Stanley (Centreville), 84-78—162

Shannon Brennan (Leesburg), 85-77—162

Deborah Morey (Haymarket), 83-80—163

Lisa Moore (Burke), 79-84—163

Barbara Scarlett (Middletown), 81-85—166

Diana H. Strickler (Charlottesville), 86-80—166

Judi Enright (Arlington), 81-85—166

Anne Stafford (Virginia Beach), 87-80—167

Becki Davis (Sumerduck), 80-87—167

Pam Murray (Arlington), 85-83—168

Marti Rust (Fairfax), 84-85—169

Novice Nelson (Arlington), 89-84—173

Sue Nelson (Alexandria), 87-87—174

Sally Smallwood (Herndon), 87-88—175

Paula Harris (Centreville), 89-90—179

Jill Foley (Leesburg), 86-94—180

THIRD FLIGHT

Suki Button (Haymarket), 86-83—169

Marlea Moriarty (Dumfries), 88-94—182

Nancy Lim (Lorton), 89-93—182

Pamela Quinn (McLean), 87-95—182           
Mary Blair (Alexandria), 87-96—183

Anne Luxford (Charles Town), 92-92—184

Carol Mills (Springfield), 95-91—186

Charlotte McComas (Oak Hill), 94-94—188

Sandy Haddix (Powhatan), 100-93—193

Susan Walthall (McLean), 103-96—199

Lee Bright (Springfield), 99-102—201

Cerena Griffith (Chesterfield), 108-97—205

Shirley Thorne (Woodbridge), 103-104—207

Leeann Carolla (Herndon), 102-112—214

Vickie Hauser (Alexandria), 109-110—219

Beatrice Joyce Burdick (Springfield), 112-110—222

SEONDARY TEES FLIGHT

Chong Kuterbach (Montclair), 84-77—161

Marijo Wood (Broadway), 88-85—173

Sharon Talarico (Richmond), 85-91—176

Sherri Guyer (Keezletown), 91-89—180

Linda Lumsden (South Boston), 89-92—181

Cheryl Crellin (Ashburn), 90-92—182

Nancy King (Locust Grove), 91-95—186

Elaine Block (Arlington), 97-90—187

Sarah Robertson (Wintergreen), 94-93—187

Charlene Clancy (Sterling), 98-92—190

Mary Ann Cronin (Washington), 99-101—200

Margaret Hundelt (Burke), 112-99—211