Moran Notches First Win in OSWGA Stroke Play

By BOB DICK

Ann Moran has won a number of team titles in Ocean State Women’s Golf Association competition with partner Maureen Ford. But the two-year member of OSWGA hasn’t been able to break through with an individual championship.

However, that mini drought lasted until this year’s R.I. Women’s State Stroke Play Championship at West Warwick’s Valley C.C. There, Moran, who moved to Rhode Island from New Jersey two years ago, fashioned an 86 for the win. Moran edged RICC’s Kibbe Reilly by a stroke and finished three shots ahead of third-place Nancy Diemoz from Montaup.

“Although I didn’t play all that great, I’m happy with the win. You’re always happy with a win,” said Moran. “To be honest, I expected to end up third at best but when I got in and heard some of the other scores, I was very happy.”

Moran claimed the reason for her success on a cold, drizzly day was the fact that she was steady off the tee and didn’t put herself in trouble. “I think I had only one bad tee shot where I had to punch out of the woods to get back in the fairway,” she said.

Her main problem, Moran continued, was trying to figure out the greens. “I didn’t find the greens to be consistent. If I thought they would be fast, they were slow and vice versa. That kind of frustrated me a little bit and I had a couple of putts that just lipped out, Moran continued.

Moran started on the fourth hole in the shotgun start and carded a 42 on her front 9 and then a disappointing 44 on the back nine.

“Actually, I thought I was playing a lot better than my score indicates. I was surprised when I added the scores up. I thought I was going to finish with an 83,”Moran stated. “I didn’t have a birdie because I didn’t give myself the opportunities with my approach shots. I think I had only three realistic birdie chances and left those putts short.”

As for Reilly, she compiled a disastrous front 9, shooting an ugly 48. “I doubled two holes and then tripled the par 5 sixth hole. My fourth shot was short of the green and then I three-putted. It was just an awful nine holes,” she said.

Reilly picked up her game on the back nine and finished with a 39 but she ended up one shot short of Moran’s score. “I really didn’t deserve to win, anyway” Reilly said.

Triggs’ Nancy Mendelsohn, who won a couple of early season tournaments and was looking forward to the stroke play event, came away frustrated with her game and ended up with a 90, along with Green Valley’s Jackie Booth. Segregansett’s Carol Clarey, after a first nine 40, had to quit because of a stiff back.

In the other divisions, Laurel Lane’s Luanne Googins put together the low A-Division gross score of 89; Barbara Baris from Country View had the low net score of 77.

North Kingstown’s Maureen Mossey’s 98 was the low gross winner in the B-Division. Low net honors went to Carolyn Brown of Winnapaug with a 79.

The low gross winner in the C-Division was Foster’s Sharon Nowicki with a 110. Foster’s Betty Speel had the low net score of 85.

So the wet and chilly day belonged to Moran, who says she doesn’t enter tournaments looking for a win. Her last individual victory came, she said, two or three years ago at a statewide senior tourney in New Jersey.

“I take life one day at a time. In golf I don’t enter to try to win. I play hole by hole, shot by shot and when it’s all added up, my score is what it is. I never get upset about it or frustrated. I just enjoy playing the game,” Moran said.