One Albuquerque women’s golf event isn’t quite enough
So the City Women’s event begins today, extends through Thursday
Sharon Harrington doesn’t want to confuse anyone about a rebirth of a women’s golf tournament.
But to say the Albuquerque City Women’s Golf Championship begins today surely sounds confusing, given that the Albuquerque Women’s Golf Championship took place in July at Santa Ana Golf Club.
However, Harrington contends this is the real “city” championship. The event starts today and ends Thursday with one round at each of the Albuquerque municipal courses, Los Altos (today), Arroyo del Oso (Wednesday) and Ladera (Thursday).
Harrington has been wanting to bring back the women’s city tournament because she never wanted the original to go away, and she worked diligently to put on this week’s event. She also didn’t want to interfere with the event in July.
This week’s tourney has been met with mixed results but mostly a positive reception.
It will have a full field of 60 women from over 17 ladies associations, Harrington said. No college-level players or even high school standouts are in the field because they did not register, likely because of its timing.
“We didn’t want to compete (with the event in July),” Harrington said. “We wanted this one to take place the week leading into Balloon Fiesta. This can have all women with an established handicap to play. You can only enter if you were in the Albuquerque phone book.”
Harrington referenced to an article that appeared in New Mexico Golf News in March that was not so positive. Dave Brown, Santa Ana’s head pro, was “perplexed” about Harrington’s idea to create another women’s championship in Albuquerque, according to New Mexico Golf News.
“It’s kind of odd to have two of them,” Brown told the online publication. He said having the two events is like having two Super Bowls. “They only have one Super Bowl,” he said. Harrington’s response: “There are other championships in pro golf. There are all kinds at different venues. We have a championship at a different venue. We’re wanting to offer a new opportunity for women golfers. The difference is where it’s being played.”
Dana Lehner, executive director of the Sun Country PGA, has been supportive of the new city event, because it provides more opportunities for women, he said.
Lehner helped with the women’s event in July that Shannelle Tafoya won. The Albuquerque Women’s Golf Championship takes place concurrently with the New Mexico-West Texas Women’s Amateur Championship.