Sue Sardi Medalist At U.s.senior Women's Amateur Qualifying
Sue Sardi of Skillman, who plays out of Cherry Valley, has come quite a long way from the time she was a 40-handicap 25 years ago.
At age 60, the former high-end fashion designer shot one of the best rounds of her career, a two-over-par 75, to take medalist honors at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur sectional qualifier at 5,750-yard Preakness Hills Country Club in Wayne on Tuesday, August 16. The event was administered by the New Jersey State Golf Association.
The U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur Championship takes place Sept. 17-22 at Wellesley Country Club in Massachusetts.
Marianne Springer of Wellington, Fla., a former Westfield, N.J. resident, was runner-up with a 78. Also earning a trip to Wellesley were Helen Bernstein of Tenafly and Alicia Kapheim of Pennington, who both shot 80, and Lindsay Wortham of Richmond, Va., and Johanna Kung of Wilmington, Del., who both shot 81.
Alternates were Donna Cortino of Princeton and Sue Billek Nyhus of Orem, Utah.
“I never thought I’d get a medal. Last year, I tripled on the last hole and missed out on the medal by one shot at Gulph Mills (Pa.). I didn’t want last year to be a fluke,” Sardi stated.
Sardi’s round included three birdies and five bogeys on a course she had played last month. In the Elizabeth Goss Round Robin at Preakness Hills, she carded rounds of 84-86-85.
“I just really stayed committed to my shots this time,” said Sardi, a long-time NJSGA volunteer who has been the tournament director the past six years of the NJSGA Junior Girls Championship.
Sardi is a native of Fort Lauderdale where she was a high school cheerleader. For college, she selected Parsons School of Design and for 15 years owned Sue Beebe Limited, which featured couture evening wear. She left the business to raise her children and decided to take up golf at age 35.
“I go to Florida a lot and work with Craig Shanklin. But I owe a lot to Cherry Valley pro Allan Bowman. He taught me my swing,” she said.
Springer is the daughter of former Shackamaxon pro Steve Doctor and the cousin of PGA Hall of Famer Mike Doctor. The Springers years ago were named Met Golf Family of the Year.
She moved to Florida in 1993 and will be playing in her fifth U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur. She reached the quarterfinals a decade ago.
