Fran Gacos Wins Fourth NJSGA Women's Senior Championship
Fran Gacos of Copper Hill carded a 9-over-par 80 for a 36-hole total of 161 and won her fourth title in the event on Tuesday, October 1, when she claimed the 44thNJSGA Women’s Senior Championship by six shots over Kathy McGrorry of Jumping Brook at the 5,763-yard, par-72 Manasquan River Golf Club in Brielle.
Gacos won previous championships in 2005, ’06, ’07 and was runner-up to Sherry Herman in 2008 in her last appearance in the tournament. Over the past four years, Gacos was unavailable due to her commitments to play in USGA events.
This weekend, she will be playing in her 11thUSGA Mid-Amateur, this year in Asheville, N.C.
COMPLETE SCORING FINAL DAY PHOTO GALLERY FIRST ROUND STORY, PHOTOS
In other flights, Sue Dahabsu of Jumping Brook (171) won the First Flight on a match of cards over Maggie Pizzone of White Beeches (171); Sandra Mascia of Manasquan River (182) won the Second Flight over Karen Hansard of Neshanic Valley (183); Marge Zietchick of WGA of NJ (185) won the Third Flight over Laurel Harvey of Springdale (190); Lynn Griesinger of Copper Hill (190) won the Fourth Flight over Sharon Kregg of Manasquan River (194).
In the Super Senior division, Mary Fenton of Colts Neck (186) won over Pat Schoudel of Peddie (191).
“This is such a great golf course. I wanted to come out here and play like I’ve been playing this summer, right around par,” said Gacos. “I didn’t get that. I’m excited about the U.S. Mid-Amateur.
“I’ve been working with my coach at Copper Hill, 95-year-old Mike Amorelli, and my ball striking has gotten better. I’ve been hitting it further.
“Out here, the greens are undulating and they are big. Normally they are fast, and I like fast greens because they are so true,” she said.
Gacos’s round yesterday included three birdies, a double bogey and nine bogeys.
Her first birdie came on the par-5 fifth hole as she wedged to 53 yards and sank a 15-foot putt. Another birdie came at the par-4 ninth hole, when her gap wedge from 43 yards landed within six feet of the hole.
She added her final bogey on the par4 18th hole when she hit a nine iron to within a foot of the cup.
“I love to compete. I always want to win,” said Gacos who played field hockey and softball at Hunterdon Central High School. “People forget I only started playing golf in my 30s.”
McGrorry’s 83 on Tuesday was a one-stroke improvement over the previous round.
“I got in a zone these past two days because I love this course. I’m just swinging well,” said McGrorry, who served as tournament director of the event the previous eight years.
“Being runner-up to Fran is beyond what I expected. It’s been a good summer for me. I also won the Garden State Women’s Super Seniors at Spring Lake.”
