Palm Beach County Women's Amateur tees off Sunday
Larry Bush always had a strong connection with the Palm Beach County Women’s Amateur Championship.
In 1977, Bush, a longtime sports writer at The Palm Beach Post and Evening Times, asked prominent amateur Lynn Taliaferro why the women didn’t have a tournament in a county known for its golf.
There should be, they figured. And a year later, the PBCWAC held its first championship, won in ‘78 by one-day LPGA pro Lynn Connelly.
When Taliaferro died, PBCWAC officials named the Senior Division trophy after her. With Bush’s death last year at 87, the association has named its amateur trophy after Bush, a longtime supporter of local golf.
“It’s a fitting honor,” said star amateur golfer Susan Cohn, a Palm Beach Gardens resident who has won the tournament 15 times in 20 tries.
“Larry was so special in the local golf community and throughout the state of Florida. Not only was he a skilled writer, never missing a detail, but he was also such a nice person. He would always approach you quietly and ask how you played.”
The 43rd PBCWAC will be held Sundand Monday on the famed Champion Course at PGA National Resort. Bush’s daughter, Linda, will be on hand Monday to present the amateur trophy to the winner.
“I was thrilled and honored when I was told the tournament was naming its amateur trophy after Daddy,” Linda Bush said. “It was a big thrill for Daddy to have played a role in creating a tournament that showcases the best women’s golfers in Palm Beach County. I knew he always looked forward to the tournament every year. What he and Lynn were able to accomplish is remarkable.”
It was similar to when longtime sports writer/PGA of America publicist Jim Warters made the suggestion in 1976 that created the Palm Beach Kennel Club County Amateur for the area's top male amateurs.
Cohn will return to start another win streak after she lost to good friend Carolina Hart last year. The tournament will once again be a 36-hole event, though officials are considering returning to a 54-hole event to attract amateur ranking points.
Seven-time champion Taffy Brower said the players are thrilled to be able to play the Champion Course, which hosts the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic every year. She won last week’s Super Senior title in the Florida Women’s Senior Amateur Championship in Naples.
“It’s such a great golf course,” Brower said of The Champ. “Every time you play it, it’s a different course. That’s what makes it so great. Every hole requires your attention.”
U.S. Open qualifier: Palm Beach Gardens residents Brett Stegmaier and Nicholas Thompson, amateur Dean Greyserman of Boca Raton and Greg O’Mahony of Stuart advanced at a local U.S. Open qualifier last week at Coral Ridge Country Club in Fort Lauderdale.
Stegmaier and Thompson were co-medalists with Zhengkai Bobby Bai of China at 5-under 67. Greyserman and O’Mahony advanced through a 6-for-2 playoff after 71s.
The 36-hole U.S. Open sectional qualifier in South Florida is June 6 at Admiral’s Cove in Jupiter. The U.S. Open is June 16-19 at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Chip shots: Jupiter’s Mark Mielke lost last week’s Florida Senior Open in a three-man playoff to Gene Fieger. It was Fieger’s third career win … Terrill Samuel of Boynton Beach won the Florida Women’s Senior Amateur Championship by two shots over Mary Jane Hiestand of Naples.
Palm Beach County Women’s Amateur Championship Past Winners
1978 Lynn Connelly
1979 Mindy Moore
1980 Julie Kintz
1981 Ann Ranta
1982 Doreen LaDonna
1983 Karen Dunning
1984 Taffy Brower
1985 Taffy Brower
1986 Pam McCloskey
1987 Robin Weiss
1988 No tournament
1989 Mary Hanyak
1990 Taffy Brower
1991 Robin Weiss
1992 Debbie Adams
1993 Taffy Brower
1994 Robin Weiss
1995 Debbie Adams
1996 Robin Weiss
1997 Robin Weiss
1998 Barbara Lilley
1999 Taffy Brower
2000 Susan Cohn
2001 Reggie Parker
2002 Mary Hanyak
2003 Susan Cohn
2004 Taffy Brower
2005 Susan Cohn
2006 Taffy Brower
2007 Susan Cohn
2008 Susan Cohn
2009 Susan Cohn
2010 Susan Cohn
2011 Susan Cohn
2012 Susan Cohn
2013 Susan Cohn
2014 Susan Cohn
2015 Susan Cohn
2016 Susan Cohn
2017 Susan Cohn
2018 Susan Cohn
2019 Denise Martorana
2020 No tournament*
2021 Carolina Hart
*COVID precautions.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Palm Beach County Amateur golf tournament at PGA National Champion course
