Written By: Greg Johnson
GLADWIN – Lori Schlicher of Lewiston won her third consecutive Michigan Women’s Senior Amateur Championship Wednesday, but she said it isn’t getting any easier.
“It felt like some of the girls really stepped it up and came after me this year,” Schlicher said after topping Donna Tepper of Grosse Pointe Park 4 and 3 in the championship match of the 21st edition of the championship presented by Stifel Investment Services at Sugar Springs Golf Club.
“Donna got off to a bad start this afternoon but then seemed to find her game and I had a touch match this morning. It always feels nice to win.”
Schlicher, who turns 64 on Sept. 20, had to fend off Shelly Weiss of Southfield in the morning semifinals, and it took 19 holes to do it. She won the extra hole to close out the match with a par.
In the other semifinal, Tepper, 55, turned back the Sugar Springs member, Kelly Freeman of Chesaning 7 and 6.
Schlicher, who is headed to Virginia for the U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur at The Omni Homestead Resort that starts Saturday, said she had to play especially well in the semifinal to hold off Weiss.
“She really wanted to get me, maybe because I got her in the finals last year, and she played great,” she said. “It was a great match. Then I had to face Donna, a good friend and a good player. It wasn’t an easy day.”
It looked like it might be an easy final when she won three of the first four holes, two with birdies as Tepper struggled. Schlicher went 4-up with a par on the par 5 No. 6 hole and then the match settled into tied holes until she went 5-up at the par 5 No. 11 with another par.
Schlicher putted three times in losing the par 3 No. 12 hole and hit wayward shots before conceding the 14th hole. She led just 3-up heading to the par 3 15th where she closed it out with a 20-foot birdie putt.
“I kept bombing first putts past the hole,” she said. “The greens are pretty quick here and I’ve played here the last four years and still can’t seem to get the speed. A few times the hole got in the way.”
Tepper, the Division Chief of Plastic Surgery at Henry Ford Hospital, reached the title match for the first time, and said she didn’t feel nervous to start the final match.
“It didn’t feel like I was nervous, but it was not my game, not like my game the last couple of days,” she said. “But clearly, you know, you start to realize that’s what it is, nerves, and then all you can do is try to recover and figure out a different game plan. I played better but couldn’t overcome those first four holes.”
Sugar Springs, a residential community located between West Branch and Gladwin, hosted the championship for the fourth consecutive year, and the players were welcomed by cheering fans on their way around the course once again.
“I like it here,” Schlicher said. “It’s not far from home and I keep taking the (Jean Murray Trophy) home with me.”
She said she is looking forward to the U.S. Women’s Senior Amateur.
“It’s my first time, I’m excited and I’m not getting any younger,” she said. “I’m going to get out there and hope I have my game.”
