Pennington sets record, captures fifth straight title
Breaks own 54-hole tourney mark as she wins the event for the fifth straight year
Five years ago, Amber Pennington was 13 years old and heading into her freshman year at Rondout Valley High School when she won the Ulster County Women’s Golf Association championship in her first try.
Five years later, Pennington is 17 and about to start her freshman year at Delaware State University and she’s still winning the UCWGA crown.
Pennington became only the second player in the tournament’s 61-year history to win the championship five consecutive times on Sunday, completing a record-setting performance at Apple Greens Golf Course.
She shot a 2-over-par 73 Sunday to finish the three-day event with a 5-over 73 (Twaalfskill)-72 (New Paltz)-73—218, breaking her own 54-hole tourney record of 220 set in 2018.
“I kind of had an idea, too, (about the record) but I was just more focused on playing good ball. If it was meant to happen, it was going to happen. I’m glad it happened,” said Pennington, who won by 16 strokes over Alexandra Cymbal, who shot 81 to finish with a three-day 234.
Cheryl Potter was the only other player to break 80 at Apple Greens, posting a 78 to take a thirdplace 242.
Pennington joins Wiggie Delisio as the only other player to win five straight titles. DeLisio won the first six years of the tournament from 1959-64 when it was 36 holes.
Kim Hines (80-81-83— 244) was fourth overall, followed by Mary Gersec (8879-90—257), Diane Myers (88-86-84—258) and a tie for seventh place between Ellen Densen (83-88-88) and Kathy Murphy (90-8584) at 259.
Debra Lahm won the First Flight title with a 36hole 172, holding off Linda DePuy by four shots. Kathy Riisenberg was third.
The Second Flight championship went to Cheryl Williams, who defeated 12-year-old Alex Young
by seven strokes. Marsha Weiss placed third.
Pennington, who also received the Ulster County Female Scholarship/Paul DeLisio Foundation Award at the awards banquet, shot a 38 on Apple Greens One (front nine) and a par-35 on the back nine Apple Greens Two course.
She sank a 10-foot putt for birdie on 12 and made a long putt on 17 for another. She dropped a short par putt on 18 to complete her day.
“This has been the longest, best tournament I’ve played. I’m just really happy that I could keep the momentum going. That birdie putt on 17 was huge,” said Pennington who, at times, felt like she had to battle for the low score.
“I scrambled. It felt like I shot an 80, but I just made those four-footers I had for par. which dropped it down to a 73,” she said. She was able to stay even-keeled despite missing the fairway on drives on four of the first 10 holes and going 2-for-10 on
birdie putts. Great recovery shots allowed her to make par on a dozen holes.
“I swung really, really bad. I think I topped two shots which I haven’t done in awhile. Today, my putting wasn’t the best. Some of those would have definitely have dropped on a good day,” Pennington added. “My strategy was to make par and if birdie falls, then that’s great. I think that’s why I shot 73, because I wasn’t putting so much pressure on myself. I’m just going to let it happen, just stay calm and move on and it worked out. That’s definitely a confidence booster, if I just keep making pars. “It was a good bad day.” Cymbal had 12 pars, despite being hurt by her putting throughout the match. She sank a long putt for bogey on 10, recovering after a drive gave her a poor lie against tree roots. She took a drop, losing a shot.
Pennington is proud to join the short list of women who have won five or more UCWGA titles. DeLisio
leads the back with eight overall. Marilyn Motzkin won six and Potter has five. More so, Pennington enjoys the friendships she has developed from this tourney and knows that competing in this event in her formative years has meant everything.
“I appreciate the opportunity to play in this event, because it really has shaped what I am today as a golfer. Every round I come out and play here, I learn something new, rule-wise or just strategy-wise. It’s definitely had a huge part on how I play tournaments today,” she said.
“This is the fifth year that I’ve come among my new friends, the women who have stuck with me the entire time,” she added. “It’s just really heartwarming on the final hole to see everyone grouped up around the green, embracing me. Everybody knows that I’m about to leave for college. It’s really heartwarming to know that I have this community here.”