Hershey, PA (Sports Network) - Ellen Port won five holes in a row on the back
nine Thursday to defeat Jane Fitzgerald and capture the USGA Senior Women's
Amateur Championship.
Port, 50, won this title in her first try. She is a 4-time U.S. Women's Mid-
Amateur champion, including last year's event.
Fitzgerald, also 50 and also in her first USGA Senior Women's Amateur
Championship, started well with a win at the first after Port made bogey. Port
knotted things at the third, but a Fitzgerald par at No. 5 was enough to
reclaim the lead.
Fitzgerald kept her 1-up cushion until the 11th and things unraveled in a big
way. She found a cart path on 11, made bogey and lost the hole. The match was
all-square and Port was about to go on a run that would give her the
championship.
At the par-3 12th, Port rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt to take her first lead
of the match. One hole later, Port made another 12-footer, this time for par,
but also for a win.
Port captured the 14th to go 3-up and Fitzgerald handed the match to Port at
the par-5 15th. Fitzgerald lost her ball in a brush near the green and she
could do no better than double bogey.
Port was in much better shape on the hole, and won the 15th and the match.
The Sports Network