Blinn wins OSWGA Stroke Play title

Valerie Blinn's 77 bests Donna Warner by two strokes on a windy day at Wanumetonomy.

01:00 AM EDT on Tuesday, October 5, 2004

BY PAUL KENYON
Journal Sports Writer

MIDDLETOWN -- Valerie Blinn closed out the Ocean State Women's Golf Association's individual tournament season in style yesterday.

Blinn, the dominant player in OSWGA competition all season, shot a 1-under-par 36 on the front nine on her way to a 77, good enough in windy conditions to win the association's Stroke Play Championship at Wanumetonomy.

Blinn, whose victories this summer included one in the OSWGA Amateur, edged former champion Donna Warner by two strokes. Amber Weller was third at 82.

In this one, Blinn had a unique card. She had a "4" on every hole on the front side. Her total of 36 is 1 under on the women's card.

"I had three doubles on the back, which I wasn't happy about," she said, "but it was a good day."

With her dominating performance all year, Blinn long ago had piled up enough points to top the OSWGA player-of-the-year race. As it is, her performance yesterday lifted her over the 10,000-point mark, more than 2,000 points ahead of Carol Clarey, the runner-up.

However, Blinn is not guaranteed player-of-the-year honors. The OSWGA uses a unique system in which the top-12 point-scorers for the year -- points are earned in both gross and net competition -- earn the right to compete in the season-ending championship with the winner that day declared the player of the year. The season-ender has been set for Oct. 24, at a site to be announced.

Others in the top 12, in addition to Blinn and Clarey, are Kathy Mis, Judy Duarte, Kyong Kim, Warner, Valerie Tessier, Marisa White, Judy Villani, Donna DeBlasio, Judy Gravier and Janina McCloskey.

Several of those players cemented their spots in the top 12 with good days yesterday. Warner won low net with her 73, nipping Kay Bullock by one. Linda Paolozzi was third, at 80.

In the "A" Division, Vicki Johnson and Gravier dominated, both shooting 89 for net 74, the best in both categories. Cindy Spencer was next with a 92 and Mis next in the net, at 76. Linda Albamonte and Susan Haake had matching 99-20-79 totals to top the "B" Division. Carolyn Brown was second gross, with 100, and Ethel Zimmerman second net, at 81.

Donna Dinsmore took the "C" Division with a 103 and Ann Hoglund won net with a 78. McCloskey and Eileen Riendeau each had 107.