Shortly after becoming the first player in CWGA history to win individual championships at the junior, open-age, and senior levels, Kim Eaton noted that she was “running out of goals.”
But almost before those words came out of her mouth, the Greeley golfer rattled off four or five items still on her golf “to-do” list, either short- or long-term.
“I just want to continue to play the best I can,” she said.
But considering how long Eaton has been anticipating what she accomplished on Thursday by winning the CWGA Senior Stroke Play at Highlands Ranch Golf Club, she’ll undoubtedly take a little time to relish her feat.
Eaton has won every CWGA championship she’s been eligible for that crowns an individual winner. She claimed the CWGA Junior Match Play in 1977, four Stroke Play titles from 1978 to 2004, the Match Play in 2004, and now the Senior Stroke Play. Since the CWGA in 1983 added a senior tournament to a schedule that already included junior and open-age championships, no one had completed the trifecta until Thursday.
“I’m glad it’s done so I don’t have to worry about it anymore,” said Eaton, the executive director of the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, an organization into which she was inducted in 2006. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about the last two or three years.”
Eaton birdied her final hole Thursday in the Senior Stroke Play for her second straight 2-over-par 74, good for a winning total of 4-over 148. Susan Jennings of Longmont, the coach of the reigning girls 5A state high school champions at Skyline, used a tournament-best 72 on Thursday to move from 11th to second place, finishing at 151. Cindy Pallatino of CommonGround Golf Course took third at 154 after a final-round 76.
Jennings may have given Eaton a run for the title had she not needed 75 putts for two rounds. Jennings hit 17 greens in regulation on Thursday.
Jennings used to play junior golf against Eaton, and Eaton sometimes stayed at Jennings’ house in Westminster when competing in those events in the 1970s.
“That’s pretty cool,” Jennings said of Eaton winning at all age levels of CWGA events. “Not too many play (tournaments) at the junior, open and senior levels in the same state.”
Eaton, who just became eligible for senior golf when she turned 50 on August 3, said the accomplishment ranks among the top four of her lifetime in golf. Among the others Eaton cited were making the cut at the 1983 U.S. Women’s Open, being inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame, and winning the CWGA Stroke Play and Match Play in the same year (2004).
Among Eaton’s goals for the rest of the year are to advance at least to the round of 16 at the U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur and/or the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur. As for CWGA events, she’s still looking to win her first Mashie (Team) Championship after finishing second seven times, and she’ll take aim at the Senior Match Play title when she competes in that division for the first time next year.
CWGA SENIOR STROKE PLAY
At Par-72 Highlands Ranch Golf Club
Championship Flight Results
Kim Eaton, Riverdale GC, 74-74–148
Susan Jennings, Fox Hill CC, 79-72–151
Cindy Pallatino, CommonGround GC, 78-76–154
D’Ann Kimbrel, Broken Tee Englewood, 75-80–155
Mary Doyen, Foothills GC, 76-80–156
Kay Griffel, The Meadows GC, 78-79–157
Nancy Ziereis, Valley CC, 77-80–157
Lynne Batchelder, Valley CC, 77-81–158
Beth Clippinger, Wellshire GC, 78-81–159
Lynn Zmistowski, The CC at Castle Pines, 78-81–159
Pam Ryan, Lake Valley GC, 80-79–159
Liz Kennedy, Bookcliff CC, 83-77–160
Sue Davis, River Valley Ranch GC, 78-83–161
Barbara Hoverston, Meridian GC, 86-78–164
VIEW COMPLETE RESULTS
